Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul on Wednesday announced that an emergency measles immunisation campaign will commence this coming Sunday to curb the rapid spread of the disease.
Rural areas and upazilas where the outbreak is most severe will be given top priority.
The decision was finalised following a meeting with UNICEF representatives, the Minister informed a press conference held at the health ministry.
“We will begin inaugurating this programme in various locations from Sunday morning. Vaccines and necessary equipment are being dispatched to the upazila level, prioritising rural regions,” the minister stated, adding that supplies would reach the most affected upazilas within the next two days.
The campaign aims to vaccinate children aged between six months and 10 years. Minister Bakul noted that 1.9 million vaccine doses have been received from UNICEF. Furthermore, 21.9 million doses have been borrowed from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. These will be replenished through a Tk604 crore project dedicated to purchasing new vaccines.
Highlighting the severity of the illness, the health minister warned that measles can lead to pneumonia and internal lung infections, which poses a significant risk of death. He stated that while some casualties have occurred, the government has managed the situation appropriately.
To bolster the response, ventilators have been rapidly collected from both public and private sectors for distribution across necessary locations.
In a bid to strengthen the drive, the government has cancelled the leave of all field-level health workers. “Leave for all field staff has been withdrawn; they will be working on the ground,” he said.
The health department is currently making field-level preparations and has issued necessary instructions to ensure high-risk children are vaccinated promptly to bring the infection under control.
