Measles-rubella vaccination drive begins in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Barishal cities

A special measles-rubella vaccination drive began in the city corporations areas under Dhaka north and south, Mymensingh and Barishal, this morning amid a surge in measles cases and deaths.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the campaign at Nagar Bhaban in Gulistan around 11:00am.

MA Muhit, state minister for health, inaugurated the programme at Karail slum in the capital.

Around 12.20 lakh children aged six months to under five years are expected to be vaccinated under this initiative, according to Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Expanded Program on Immunization.

In Dhaka, the month-long campaign was launched through separate programmes by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) aiming to vaccinate over 900,000 children.

DSCC officials said 402,456 children will be vaccinated in its area. To reach this target, 540 vaccination centres -- 90 permanent and 450 temporary -- have been established.

Children aged between six months and under five years will receive the vaccine daily from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam emphasised the need for grassroots awareness to ensure no child is left out of the programme.

DNCC officials expect to vaccinate around 500,000 children. The corporation has set up 558 permanent and temporary centres, supported by 35 evening centres and eight Friday-only centres.

DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan said there are plans to transform the DNCC Covid hospital in Mohakhali into a general hospital to better utilise existing infrastructure and improve healthcare services.