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A special measles-rubella vaccination campaign will begin across Bangladesh on September 25 as measles infections continue despite previous vaccination drives, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain has said.
He made the announcement while responding to questions from journalists after a seminar in Dhaka on Thursday, according to a press release from the Health Ministry.
The minister said most of the vaccines required for the campaign had already arrived in Bangladesh through UNICEF, while the remaining doses are expected to arrive by September 17.
The government launched an emergency measles vaccination drive on April 5 in 30 high-risk upazilas, targeting children aged six months to 59 months, amid a rise in measles infections and deaths.
The campaign was expanded to four city corporation areas on April 12 and then rolled out nationwide on April 20. The nationwide campaign ended on May 20.
However, measles infections have continued. According to government figures, 1,002 people had died from measles or symptoms associated with the disease as of Wednesday.
“Even after the measles vaccination campaign ended, when we saw that infections were continuing, the government undertook the remaining activities,” Sakhawat said.
He said an additional 1.4 million children had already been vaccinated under the subsequent programme.
The minister also claimed that the previous government had left no vaccine stock in the country. The current government, he said, procured vaccines for 18.5 million children within 21 days and completed the vaccination programme.
On dengue, Sakhawat said the government was strengthening treatment facilities at peripheral-level hospitals to reduce pressure on hospitals in Dhaka.
“Isolation beds have been kept ready at every hospital, and arrangements have also been made for mobile hospitals,” he said.
He added that measures had been taken to ensure necessary treatment at the upazila level and reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals. Doctors at the upazila level have also been provided with coordination and guidance through the Society of Medicine.
The seminar was organised by the Association for Disabled People (ADP) and Rotary Club Ahsan Manzil at University Women’s Federation College in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, marking World Suicide Prevention Day.