After being suspended for more than a year, the government has taken an initiative to organize the National Vitamin A Plus Campaign again.
Public health experts said the suspension of the program has further complicated the ongoing measles outbreak situation in the country.
According to information from the Directorate General of Health Services and relevant officials, around 23.5 million children aged between six months and under five years will be administered Vitamin A capsules under this campaign.
Director Mohammad Yunus Ali of the Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), the implementing agency of the program, told Dhaka Tribune: “The date for organizing the Vitamin A Plus Campaign nationwide has been finalized for June 28. Around 23.5 million children will be covered under this campaign.”
Yunus Ali said: “About half of the capsules have already arrived in the country, and the remaining portion will arrive by June 19. The Vitamin A capsules designated for children aged six to 11 months have already reached the country. On the other hand, the capsules required for children aged one year to under five years will arrive by June 19.”
He said that after unsuccessful attempts through open tenders in three phases, the capsules were finally procured with the assistance of UNICEF. He also said that the next Vitamin A Plus Campaign is planned to be organized within four to six months.
According to health experts, the main objective of the Vitamin A campaign is to improve children’s immunity and nutritional status. They said that if such programs are not carried out regularly, the risk of malnutrition may increase and children’s immunity may weaken, which can make measles more severe.
Concerned officials said that although the program is supposed to be organized twice a year, the last national Vitamin A Plus Campaign was held in March 2025.
They said the program remained suspended for a long time due to the expiry of the sector-based program under which it was implemented, the lack of alternative funding during the interim government period, and complications in procuring capsules through tenders.
Meanwhile, the country has recently witnessed one of the largest measles outbreaks. Since March 15, the number of measles or measles-like cases has reached 99,529 thousand. In the same period, 661 people have died, most of them children.
The campaign was previously financed through the National Nutrition Services (NNS) program, which was part of the Fourth Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Program (HPNSP).
Officials said that although the term of the fourth HPNSP ended in June 2024, there was sufficient stock of capsules to conduct the March 2025 campaign. However, since the proposed fifth program was cancelled in March 2025, a funding crisis emerged.
After the expiry of the sector program, responsibility for implementing the national Vitamin A Plus Campaign was assigned to IPHN.
Mohammad Yunus Ali said: “Initially, the campaign could not be organized due to lack of funds. Later, even after funds were arranged, complications arose in the tender process for procuring capsules, and tenders were cancelled three times.”
He said that later the new government decided to procure capsules through UNICEF.
According to IPHN information, children aged six to 11 months will receive one type of Vitamin A capsule, while children aged one year to under five years will receive another type.
Across the country, capsules will be distributed through around 120,000 centers. In addition, around 500 mobile centers will be set up at bus and railway stations and river terminals for children who are travelling on the campaign day.
Public health expert Dr M Mostak Hossain told Dhaka Tribune: “Vitamin A capsules play an important role in building immunity in children who are born malnourished and whose mothers suffer from malnutrition. Ideally, necessary nutrition should be obtained through food. However, for those suffering from severe malnutrition, Vitamin A capsules are an essential intervention.
“Children who have recovered from measles but are still physically weak may have improved immunity if they are given Vitamin A capsules. Even if a child is affected by another disease, prior intake of Vitamin A capsules can make the condition comparatively less complicated. Vitamin A helps the body fight viral and bacterial infections.
“For children from poor families who cannot regularly consume fish, meat, milk, or eggs, this capsule is particularly important. Children from affluent families often receive sufficient nutrition and immunity from food. But malnourished and underprivileged children, who do not get adequate nutritious food, need Vitamin A capsules very urgently.
“At the current level of the measles outbreak, if Vitamin A capsules were provided regularly, many children’s illnesses would not have become so complicated.”
