2.5cr children to be fed vitamin A plus capsule

National Vitamin-A Plus campaign would be observed on Saturday across the country to feed vitamin-A Plus capsule to 2.5 crore children aged between six months to 59 months to prevent childhood blindness and reduce child mortality.

Health Minister Jahid Malik gave this information at a press conference held at the Secretariat in the capital on Thursday. 

The programme will start at 8 am from 1,20,000 centres and continue till 4 pm on Saturday, the minister said.  

Earlier on January 18, the Institute of Public Health Nutrition postponed vitamin A plus campaign slated for January 19 as it received reports of the capsules being attached to one another in the packets.

Later, a seven-member committee, led by Prof Enayet Hussain, additional DG of Directorate General of Health Services, was formed to investigate the matter.

The programme, which began in 1994, is conducted twice a year.