United News of Bangladesh

Around 2.26 crore children aged 6-59 months will receive Vitamin A Plus capsules across the country on Saturday. As part of the countrywide campaign, children aged 6-11 months will be provided blue capsules, while children aged 12-59 months will receive red capsules, said a PID handout. With the slogan of “Feed vitamin A, reduce the risk of child mortality,” the campaign will be carried out at all districts, upazilas and unions throughout the country. The children will be given the capsules through 1,20,000 EPI Centres across the country. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has urged parents and guardians of children aged 6 months to 5 years to bring their children to the nearest permanent EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization) center to administer Vitamin A capsules. Countrywide Vitamin A plus campaign for children held Vitamin A not only prevents blindness but also helps reduce the under-five mortality rate by nearly a quarter.  

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said Bangladesh is now largely safe from the Covid-19 pandemic, though many people had earlier speculated that tens of thousands of people would die from Coronavirus in the country.