The first round of National Vitamin A Plus Campaign 2026 will be held across the country on Sunday. Under this initiative, approximately 24 million (2.40 crore) children aged between six months, and 59 months will be administered Vitamin A capsules from 8am to 4pm.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit shared these details during a press conference held at Secretariat on Thursday morning. He said the government has set a target to reach all children within the specified age group to ensure no child is left behind.
According to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 2,838,794 children aged six to 11 months will receive a blue-coloured capsule (100,000 IU), while 21,197,228 children aged 12 to 59 months will be given a red-coloured capsule (200,000 IU). In total, the campaign aims to cover 24,036,022 children.
The state minister explained that the dosages for the two age groups differ, which is why the capsules are colour-coded. He further clarified that while the targets are based on population estimates, the principle is to reach every child, even if the actual number exceeds the estimate.
The Vitamin A capsules have been sourced from Canada through UNICEF using DPM (pre-financing) method. Currently, the government holds a stock of 4 million blue capsules and 22 million red capsules.
For field-level distribution, a total of 25,534,000 capsules have been allocated. The DGHS confirmed that the capsules reached district warehouses by 24 June and were delivered to individual centres by 26 June.
The programme will be executed through 110,000 fixed and outreach centres, supplemented by 500 mobile centres at high-traffic locations such as launch terminals, ferry ghats, railway stations, and bus stands.
Special measures have been taken for remote areas. A total of 714 wards across 190 unions in 58 upazilas, spanning 12 districts including Barguna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Satkhira, Noakhali, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, have been identified as hard-to-reach.
In these locations, a four-day “child-to-child searching” activity will be conducted following the main campaign day.
Vitamin A is a critical micronutrient that prevents night blindness and xerophthalmia, boosts immunity, and reduces the risk of infectious diseases like diarrhoea and measles. The state minister noted that regular distribution has significantly reduced malnutrition-related blindness in the country.
The initiative began in 1973 as the “National Night Blindness Prevention Programme.” It was integrated into the National Immunisation Programme in 1995 under the government of Khaleda Zia.
In 2003, it was established as a standalone initiative named “National Vitamin A Plus Campaign.” Since 2026, it has returned to being managed by Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN).
The central inauguration ceremony will take place at Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre in Dhaka. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Husain will attend as the chief guest, with State Minister MA.Muhit and the Prime Minister’s Health Adviser S.M Ziauddin Hyder as special guests.
At the local level, Civil Surgeons and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers will oversee the inauguration and monitoring of the campaign.
The health department urged parents to ensure infants receive only breast milk for the first six months. “We do not give Vitamin A to infants under six months because breast milk contains sufficient amounts of this vitamin,” the state minister explained. He also advised pregnant and lactating mothers to consume more fish, meat, eggs, and colourful vegetables.
Additionally, the state minister mentioned that the government has planned several national-level health surveys for the current year to better assess the sector.
