Bangladesh launches campaign to distribute vitamin A capsules to around 22 mln children

DHAKA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh has launched a countrywide campaign to distribute vitamin A capsules to around 22 million children between six months and five years of age.

A total of 40,000 health workers have been deployed to over 100,000 permanent and makeshift centers across the country to make the campaign a success.

Parents were seen to take their kids to the centers in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country since Sunday morning to get the vitamin A capsules.

Bangladeshi Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque had earlier said the government's target is to distribute capsules to around 22 million children across the country.

He said such campaigns contributed immensely to the government's efforts in reducing night blindness and the risk of child deaths from diseases such as measles and diarrhoea.

Bangladesh conducts vitamin A-plus campaign twice a year and places great emphasis on it.