A total of 5.28 lakh children have been suffering from night blindness in the country mainly due to ignorance in taking vitamin-A enriched food including fruits and vegetables. Medical Adviser to the 9th Infantry Division GOC Col M Sirajul Karim said this yesterday at the inauguration of an advocacy programme on school health for the area which is under the jurisdiction of the 9th Division. "The government is strengthening the existing school health programmes giving it much priority and extending its area from 23 districts to all over the country at the primary school level,' he said. The 9th Infantry Division, Local Health Department, Dhaka district administration and other government organisations jointly organised the programme at the Mahanagar Nattya Mancha in the city. Presenting field-level studies, Sirajul Karim said the schools should be provided with necessary infrastructure like toilet, facilities of safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation. Besides, raising awareness about primary healthcare among the students is also needed so that they can remain unaffected from diseases, he added. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Kamaluddin presided over the function, while district Civil Surgeon Dr M Kibria also spoke.