Health Minister inaugurates nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bakul has formally inaugurated the nationwide emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign to tackle the ongoing outbreak, targeting approximately 1.8 crore children aged between six months and 59 months.

The campaign was inaugurated at around 8:15am on Monday (20 April) at Little Angel Seminary in Jinda Park, Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj.

Similar inaugural events are set to be held across all districts, upazilas, municipalities, and city corporations, organised by local government and private institutions in the presence of public representatives and community leaders.

Under the programme, vaccines will be administered at all permanent and temporary vaccination centres across the country from 8 am on working days, excluding weekly holidays.

The campaign aims to inoculate around 1.8 crore children nationwide, including those in 30 upazilas across 18 districts and four city corporations.

The first phase of the programme began on 5 April and will continue until 25 April, while the second phase, which started on 12 April, is scheduled to run until 12 May.

Additionally, the nationwide special campaign launched today will continue until 20 May in city corporation areas and until 12 May in other parts of the country.

Earlier, the government rolled out the vaccination drive on 5 April in 30 upazilas across 18 districts. In the second phase, launched on 12 April, the programme was expanded simultaneously to four major city corporations—Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Barishal, and Mymensingh.