Wednesday, February 10, 2010

June 09, 2009 17:27 PM

Medicines Supplied In Bangladesh Safe: WHO, UNICEF

DHAKA, June 9 (Bernama) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF on Tuesday said the Vitamin A supplementation and deworming tablets recently administered to children in Bangladesh are safe, private news agency UN reported.

According to China's Xinhua news agency, the assurance came following the reported deaths of two children and sickness of hundreds of others in the country in the last few days after they took Vitamin A capsules and deworming tablets during a nationwide campaign to administer the medicines to some 20 million children.

The WHO and UNICEF offices in Bangladesh on Tuesday in a joint statement said Vitamin A supplementation and deworming tablets are "effective interventions" that contribute to strengthening the health of young children, according to the UNB's report.

"These interventions are recommended by both organizations," the statement said.

The two UN organizations said both Vitamin A capsules and deworming tablets (albendazole) used during the recent Vitamin A campaign in Bangladesh were bought from approved pharmaceutic companies.

The statement said between 2002 and 2008, Bangladesh has held eight National Immunization Days and, since 2003, six Vitamin A Plus campaigns, during which millions of Bangladesh children have received Vitamin A supplementation and deworming tablets in the form of albendazole.

"No harmful side effects of either Vitamin A or Albendazole have been reported after all these campaigns," it said.

"Both agencies are fully confident about the actions taken by the (Bangladeshi) government to investigate the cases of children allegedly becoming sick after taking Vitamin A capsules and deworming tablets," it said.

The government on Monday formed a five-member committee to investigate the cause behind the sickness of the children who reportedly developed symptoms of vomiting tendency, stomachache and diarrhea.

Bangladesh's Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque earlier said in a statement that the capsules are by no means harmful to children and requested the parents not to panic.

-- BERNAMA

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