Integrated efforts need to be taken by all government and non-government entities to make the forthcoming July 14 National vitamin ‘A’ plus campaign-2018 (1st round) a total success.
Vitamin ‘A’ supplement is essential for the normal functioning of eyes, maintenance of cell function for growth, red blood cell production, immunity and reproduction.The observation came at a divisional advocacy and planning meeting at the conference hall of Divisional Directorate of Health Office in Rajshahi city today.
Attending the meeting health experts, administrative officials and nutritionists urged the field level workers to make the campaign a total success for building a healthy nation.
Office of the Divisional Directorate of Health organised the meeting in association with Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) and Department of Primary Healthcare ahead of the campaign
Administrative officials, Civil Surgeons and Deputy Directors of Department of Family Planning and other stakeholders from eight districts and local level government and non-government officials and others concerned were present at the meeting.
During their concept-paper presentations Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya, Dr Abdur Rahman and Dr Abul Khayer Rafiqul Islam highlighted the aspects of vitamin-A supplementation.
Chaired by Divisional Director of Health Dr Anisur Rahman, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division Aminul Islam, Director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) Brig Gen Jamilur Rahman and Superintendent of Police Belayet Hossain.
Aminul Islam urged the district-level officials to organise orientation for volunteers at union-level one week before the campaign so that they could do the work properly and effectively.
Utmost emphasis should be given in this regard so that any targeted children isn’t dropped out of the campaign, he said, adding the national Vitamin A plus campaign will be observed across the country to prevent childhood blindness, reducing child mortality and strengthening immunity.
The meeting was told that the children aged six months to 11 months will be given blue-coloured capsule of high powered Vitamin A and children aged one year to five will be administered red-coloured capsule of high-powered Vitamin A, reports BSS from Rajshahi.
