The nationwide measles vaccination campaign is set to commence on 20 April amid the ongoing outbreak in Bangladesh, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said on Wednesday.
The Minister shared this information while responding to a query regarding measles infection from Member of Parliament Rumin Farhana.
According to the minister, the government has decided to advance the vaccination schedule by 15 days. Previously, the health ministry had planned to start the programme on 12 April in the two city corporations of Dhaka, as well as in Mymensingh and Barishal, with a nationwide rollout scheduled for 3 May.
Explaining the shift in dates, Shakhawat stated that the country currently holds a stable stock of 21.9 million measles vaccine doses, ensuring there is no supply crisis.
In an effort to prevent corruption and avoid procedural delays, the Minister informed the House that the vaccines are being procured directly from UNICEF without a tender process. The government has finalised the process of purchasing vaccines worth Tk 419 crore from UNICEF.
Furthermore, he noted that the government is utilising unused funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), originally allocated for the Covid-19 pandemic, to bring the measles situation under control with UNICEF’s cooperation.
While acknowledging that past negligence in vaccine management had led to a complicated situation, the Minister asserted that the government is successfully overcoming these challenges. He urged the public not to panic over the disease and to remain aware of mortality rates.
