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The “Emergency Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign-2026” has been inaugurated in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area to protect children from the deadly diseases.
The DSCC says that the vaccination programme will be conducted at the permanent EPI centres in each ward as per fixed schedule, bdnews24.com reports.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain officially inaugurated the programme at the capital's Nagar Bhaban Auditorium on Sunday.
"It is possible to control measles and other infectious diseases through coordinated initiatives. Although the programme had started in 30 Upazilas of 18 districts of the country from the 5th (of April), from today, this has started simultaneously in four important city corporations (Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Mymensingh and Barisal) including Dhaka South."
He mentioned the rapid opening of the ICU unit at Infectious Diseases Hospital in Mohakhali during the recent outbreak and expressed gratitude for the cooperation of UNICEF and the World Health Organization on the matter. He also called on the city residents to remain alert regarding dengue control.
State Minister for Railways and Roads Habibur Rashid Habib, DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam, Director General of Health Services Prof Pratap Chandra Biswas and senior DSCC officials were present at the event.
Under the campaign, MR (measles-rubella) vaccination will be administered as per the schedule at permanent EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunisation) centres located in every ward of the DSCC. Concerned officials said that the initiative will increase the immunity of children and significantly reduce the risk of infection in the future.
Under this programme, all children aged six months to 59 months will receive MR vaccine. Vaccination activities will continue at designated centres every day from 9am to 5pm, except on weekends.
The Health Services Division said that extensive publicity is already being carried out to ensure maximum participation of city residents. Parents have been particularly requested to bring their children to the designated centres and get them vaccinated.
DSCC says such public health programmes will play an important role in ensuring the well-being of urban children and will help eliminate measles and rubella.
Freedom fighter Abdus Salam, administrator of DSCC, said: "It is not that this issue (measles outbreak) came suddenly. This problem has arisen today due to the carelessness of the previous government. Similarly, we are facing a lot of issues while in charge of the city corporation. They (the previous government) were here for a long time. If they had done the right thing at that time, then the new government would not have faced such pressure today."
"Today, the prime minister and the health minister are playing a strong role, but the opposition party wanted it to take on a serious form. However, they (prime minister and health minister) played a courageous role, and were able to catch it (measles) immediately and prevent it. This (measles) is a national crisis."
He said, "After this government came to power, not only Bangladesh’s economy but the world economy has begun heading towards recession. In the meantime, our prime minister is taking every step with determination.”
He hoped that the government would deal with all problems– not just measles, but all the other problems the state faces.
"Some forces are trying to get the country into more trouble. We believe the government is moving forward with the people alongside them. Whatever problems arise in the future, we all will deal with them."