National vitamin A campaign begins, targeting 2.55cr children
The campaign is being conducted simultaneously from 8am to 4pm.
The National Vitamin A Plus Campaign 2026 began across the country today (28 June), with the aim of providing capsules to around 2.55 crore children aged between six months and 59 months.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the programme by administering vitamin A capsules to children at Abu Sayeed Convention Centre this morning.
The campaign is being conducted simultaneously from 8am to 4pm.
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Sakhawat said children have been severely affected by measles because the previous government failed to maintain an adequate vaccine stock.
He added that there was no stock of vitamin A capsules at the time.
"We collected an adequate supply of vitamin A through Unicef. We now have a stock of 2.6 crore red and blue vitamin A capsules, of which 2.55 crore will be distributed during this campaign," he said.
Organised by the health ministry with support from Unicef, the campaign will provide one blue vitamin A capsule to children aged six to 11 months and one high-dose red capsule to children aged 12 to 59 months.
Capsules will be distributed through around 1,20,000 permanent centres and about 500 temporary centres, including bus terminals, railway stations and ferry ghats.
Trained health workers and volunteers have been deployed for the campaign.
Children who miss the campaign can receive the capsule the following day at their respective upazila health complexes.
A special four-day programme will also be held in 58 remote upazilas across 12 districts.
