The vitamin 'A' plus campaign will be observed on Saturday across Bangladesh.
At least 22 million children aged between 6 months and 5 years will receive life-saving vitamin A doses while over 19 million children between 2 and 5 years of age will receive an additional de-worming tablet.
Briefing journalists at the Secretariat, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said health workers and volunteers from 140,000 sites –health centres, schools, and bus, lunch and train stations –will distribute those doses.
Bangladesh has been conducting vitamin A campaign since 1974 as vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and increases the risk of diseases like measles and diarrhoea, a major cause of childhood deaths.
According to government estimates, vitamin A doses save the lives of more than 30,000 children annually in Bangladesh, while reducing illness in tens of thousands more.
Because of the campaign, night blindness— also a sign of severe malnutrition among children—has declined significantly from 3.7 percent two decades ago to 0.04 percent at present, a 2009 survey shows.
"Our target is to bring it (night blindness) to zero level," the minister said, adding 'red' colour vitamin A capsule will be given to the children between 1 and 5 years of age while children between 6 and 11 months will receive 'blue' coloured capsule.
During the campaign, he said, volunteers will also spread messages of benefits of exclusive breastfeeding until six months into the birth of a child that can cut 13 percent deaths of children under 5.
As worm infection causes blood loss and retards children's growth, a de-worming tablet has been included in the campaign in 2004.
Bangladesh conducts two vitamin A supplementation campaigns each year, with the next one likely in October.
At least 22 million children aged between 6 months and 5 years will receive life-saving vitamin A doses while over 19 million children between 2 and 5 years of age will receive an additional de-worming tablet.
Briefing journalists at the Secretariat, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said health workers and volunteers from 140,000 sites –health centres, schools, and bus, lunch and train stations –will distribute those doses.
Bangladesh has been conducting vitamin A campaign since 1974 as vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and increases the risk of diseases like measles and diarrhoea, a major cause of childhood deaths.
According to government estimates, vitamin A doses save the lives of more than 30,000 children annually in Bangladesh, while reducing illness in tens of thousands more.
Because of the campaign, night blindness— also a sign of severe malnutrition among children—has declined significantly from 3.7 percent two decades ago to 0.04 percent at present, a 2009 survey shows.
"Our target is to bring it (night blindness) to zero level," the minister said, adding 'red' colour vitamin A capsule will be given to the children between 1 and 5 years of age while children between 6 and 11 months will receive 'blue' coloured capsule.
During the campaign, he said, volunteers will also spread messages of benefits of exclusive breastfeeding until six months into the birth of a child that can cut 13 percent deaths of children under 5.
As worm infection causes blood loss and retards children's growth, a de-worming tablet has been included in the campaign in 2004.
Bangladesh conducts two vitamin A supplementation campaigns each year, with the next one likely in October.
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