The authorities have postponed the vitamin A Plus campaign slated for Saturday (Jan 19). The Institute of Public Health Nutrition announced the postponement citing “unavoidable reasons” on Thursday. A new date for the campaign will be announced later, the institution said in a press release.
Children between six months and 11 months get one blue coloured capsule while those between 12 months to 59 months get one high-powered red coloured dose in vitamin A Plus campaign twice every year in Bangladesh.
Liquid vitamin A is squeezed into child’s mouth by cutting off the tip of the capsule.
Supplementary nutrition in the form of a vitamin A capsule is vital for good infant and child health, growth, and development.
This is also accepted as an essential part of child survival programmes as one capsule of vitamin A given at least twice a year to children 6 to 59 months of age can reduce under-5 child mortality by 24 percent.
Vitamin A strengthens children’s immune system, reduce frequency of diarrhea and measles, and prevent night blindness.
According to media reports, Bangladesh has cut night blindness to 0.04 percent in recent years from 3.76 percent through this campaign.
