About 20 million (two crore) children of the 1-5 age group will be administered high-powered Vitamin A Capsule on June 6 across the country to protect them from blindness and strengthen their immune systems, reports UNB.

On the day (June 6), some 17 million (1.7 crore) children of 2-5 years of age will also be given anti-helmenthic tablet each under a programme titled 'Vitamin A Plus Campaign', Prof Dr Fatima Parveen Chowdhury, Director of Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) said this.

The IPHN director urged guardians of the children aged below five to take them to their nearest vaccination centers so they can properly be fed the tablets.

"The government carries out the Vitamin A Plus Campaign every year with a six-month interval across the country… This is an important step towards building a healthy nation," she said.

Dr Chowdhury said the IPHN under a programme, Planning and Advocacy, is now holding meetings at district and upazila levels across the country to make people aware to make the Vitamin A Plus Campaign on June 6 a success.

"People from the administration, media and NGOs, and other stakeholders are taking part in the planning and advocacy meetings," she said, adding that they would be mobilised at all vaccination centres to feed the vitamin capsule and the anti-helmenthic tablet.