Bangladesh relaunches nationwide Vitamin A drive after 15-month pause

Bangladesh is set to launch a nationwide Vitamin A campaign on June 28, 2023. The event marks the first countrywide effort since March 2022 due to a shortage of capsules. Health officials have completed all preparations for the initiative. The campaign will run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm across 120,000 centres, including 500 mobile units in public places. It targets 23,514,972 children, with younger infants (6-11 months) receiving blue capsules and older children (12-59 months) receiving red ones.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain will officially inaugurate the drive at Abu Sayeed Convention Centre in Dhaka. Local lawmakers will join administrative authorities for simultaneous launches at district and upazila levels.

Dr Mohammad Yunus Ali, Director of National Nutrition Services, confirmed that all arrangements are in place. Civil Surgeons and Upazila Health Officers will oversee activities locally. The minister has called on all stakeholders to ensure the campaign’s success. Parents and guardians are encouraged to bring their children to the nearest centres. The campaign aims to reach millions of children with essential Vitamin A supplements. This follows a long pause in nationwide distributions, addressing a critical public health need.