Bangladesh Launches Massive Campaign to Fight Childhood Blindness and Malnutrition

Bangladesh will launch a nationwide campaign on June 28 to prevent childhood blindness and tackle malnutrition. The initiative aims to reach over 23 million children through Vitamin A supplementation. Health officials have prepared extensively for the event, which will run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm across the country. The campaign targets 23,514,972 children in total. Children aged 6 to 11 months will receive blue Vitamin A capsules, while those aged 12 to 59 months will get red capsules. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain will officially open the event at Abu Sayeed Convention Centre in Dhaka.

Vitamin A supplementation in Bangladesh started in 1973 under the National Night Blindness Prevention Programme. These drives typically occur twice a year, but the last one took place in March 2021 due to a capsule shortage. This year, 120,000 centres have been set up nationwide, including 500 mobile units at public locations. The campaign seeks to boost children’s immunity, reduce prolonged diarrhoea risks, and lower child mortality rates. It marks a return to regular scheduling after previous delays. Authorities hope the widespread distribution will improve child health across the nation.