Staff Reporter:
The government will launch an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign from today across the country to curb the ongoing outbreak.
Under the program, the government has set a target to vaccinate around 1.8 crore children aged between six and 59 months. Vaccination will be carried out daily from 8:00am at all permanent and temporary centers, except weekly holidays, Hasanul Mahmud, assistant director of the Expanded Program on Im-munization, told yesterday.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to formally inaugurate the campaign in Bogura today, while Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain will inaugurate the campaign at Little Angel Seminary at Zinda Park in Narayanganj’s Rupganj upazila at 8:15am, according to the health ministry.
Besides, local government and private institutions in every district, upazila, municipality and city corpo-ration will arrange inaugural events under their own arrangements, with the participation of local repre-sentatives and distinguished persons.
Hasanul Mahmud said nearly 18 million children across all areas, including 30 upazilas in 18 districts and four city corporations will be brought under the program.
He said the first phase of the campaign, launched on April 5 in 30 upazilas, will continue until April 25, while the second phase, which began on April 12 in four major city corporations — Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Barishal and Mymensingh — will run until May 12.
The nationwide special campaign starting today will continue until May 12 in areas outside city corpora-tions and until May 20 in city corporation areas.
Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain expressed optimism that the measles situation would come under control within a week after the nationwide rollout.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services has advised that children suffering from fever or illness should not be vaccinated immediately and should receive the vaccine after recovery. It also rec-ommended maintaining a minimum interval of four weeks between doses.
