Staff Reporter:
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain yesterday said measles-rubella vaccines will be given to children simultaneously in all districts and upazilas across the country from May 3.
He made this statement while speaking at an event organized to inaugurate the measles-rubella vaccina-tion program at Nawabganj Upazila Health Complex in Dhaka.
The health minister said the special vaccination program will begin across the country on May 3 next to address measles outbreak in the country.
In addition, he said, a special vaccination programme will start in Dhaka north and south city corpora-tions, and Mymensingh and Barishal districts on April 12 next.
Later, Sakhawat Husain said, it will be expanded across the country in phases.
Commenting on the mismanagement of the past governments, he said the measles outbreak has occurred due to the mismanagement of the past governments, and according to the World Health Organization, 82 percent of patients are under the age of 5, so they are being vaccinated first.
The rest will be vaccinated later in phases, the minister added.
Meanwhile, the vaccination program for children aged 6 to 59 months started in 30 upazilas of 18 dis-tricts this morning.
Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the vaccination program at Nawabganj Upazila Health Complex.
The 30 upazilas initially brought under the special vaccination program are: Godagari in Rajshahi; Na-wabganj in Dhaka; Louhajang, Sadar and Srinagar in Munshiganj; Nalchiti in Jhalokati, Trishal, Sadar and Phulpur in Mymensingh; Haimchar and Sadar in Chandpur; Mehendiganj and Bakerganj in Barishal; Ishwardi, Sadar, Atgharia and Bera in Pabna; Porsha in Naogaon; Gazipur Sadar; Atpara in Netrokona; Jajira in Shariatpur; Barguna Sadar, Madaripur Sadar, Maheshkhali and Ramu in Cox’s Bazar, Chapainawabganj Sadar; Shibganj, Bholahat, Natore Sadar and Jashore Sadar.
