The National Vitamin A+ Campaign-2015 begins across the country vowing to make it a total success to prevent all the vitamin A deficiency related disorders among babies.
In Chittagong, the campaign began in the city and the district aimed at administering 13 lakh children under six to fifty nine months of age with the vitamin.
CCC mayor AJM Nasir Uddin formally inaugurated the day-long campaign at a function at city’s National Government Primary School, Nandankanon by administering capsules to some children.
CCC mayor during his inaugural speech informed that CCC would continue the campaign till tomorrow in order to bring all the children under the campaign, reports BSS.
CCC chief health officer Dr Selim Akther Chowdhury, Raozan Upazila Chairman Ehsanul Haidar Chowdhury Babul, local ward councillor Shaibal Das Sumon and president of Chittagong Decorator Owners Association Mohamamd Sahab Uddin, among others, were present in the inaugural function.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) started the campaign in the city in the morning.
Nizam-ul Azim, Mayor-in-Charge of RCC, opened the event through administering a capsule to a baby in the city bhaban premises.
“We have clinched the first position in EPI campaign in six consecutive times nationally. Similarly, we are committed to make this campaign a total success,” Azim asserted while addressing a brief opening discussion.
He said the national campaign is being observed in all 30 wards of the city simultaneously to prevent childhood blindness, reducing child mortality and strengthening immunity.
Our Gaibandha correspondent said a campaign for Vitamin A Plus began in the district around 8 am amid much enthusiasm to all guardians, health workers and the volunteers.
Mayor of Gaibandha Municipality M Shamsul Alam inaugurated the campaign as the chief guest on Puratan Hospital premises at Masterpara of the town.
Sadar upazila health and family planning officer Dr Ayub Ali, poura councilor, health staff and local elite including the journalists of print and electronic media were also present on the occasion.
Civil surgeon Dr Nirmalendu Chowdhury said as many as 6,327 health and family planning personnel including 5,537 volunteers and 246 supervisors were engaged in 2,109 centers throughout the district to make the campaign successful.
Besides, mobile centres has also been set up at bus stands, railway stations, kheyaghats and bridge tolls which will remain open from 8 am to 4 pm to feed the children Vitamin A Plus capsules, he added.
Special initiatives have been taken to bring all the children of char and remote areas of the district under this programme in cooperation with some NGOs including Friendship, a reputed national NGO in the country, Dr. Nirmalendu said.
Vowing to make it a total success to prevent all the vitamin A deficiency related disorders among babies In Jamalpur, District Health Department began National Vitamin A plus Campaign with a target to feed Vitamin A Capsule to 19,052 children, reports our correspondent.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Shahabuddin Khan formally inaugurated the campaign administering Vitamin A Capsule to a baby on ‘Surjyer Hashi Clinic’ premises in Melandah upazila.
Civil Surgeon Dr Md Moshaerul Islam, Upazila Parishad Chairman AKM Habibur Rahman Chan and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Jhon Kenedi Jambil were present on the occasion.
Rangpur correspondent said Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) Alhaj Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu said Vitamin A increases disease resistant capacities of the babies, reduces their death risks, prevents night blindness and other diseases
He said this while inaugurating the National Vitamin A Plus Campaign- 2015 through administering Vitamin A Plus Capsule to a number of under five-year age group babies at his Guptapara residence in the city as the chief guest.
The campaign was conducted under the auspices of the Public Health and Nutrition Institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with assistance of UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO).
The campaign also began in other districts including Barisal, Khulna, Kishoreganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Mymensingh.