Over 34 million children aged 9 months to 9 years old will be vaccinated against measles and rubella (MR) in a massive 6-week-long campaign beginning today all over the country.
Led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, the campaign aims to reach children especially those who missed one or all previous MR vaccination opportunities and to contribute to the country’s measle-rubella elimination goal.
“The elimination of two diseases, measles and rubella elimination, is a bold but achievable goal and Bangladesh is now closer than ever to make that happen. The past great successes of Bangladesh to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases show that elimination of measles is also possible, and the county is now more than ever closer to achieve this goal”, said Dr. Bhupinder Aulakh, WHO Representative in Bangladesh, during the campaign launch event.
Dr. Bhupinder Aulakh, during speech at the campaign launch event. Photo WHO Bangladesh/ Angelina Halder
The immunization campaign will be conducted with full observance of protection measures against COVID-19 and vaccination staff and volunteers have been trained in Infection and Prevention Control to implement mask-wearing and distancing protocols, besides hand hygiene measures.
During the campaign, extensive efforts will be employed for leaving no one behind and immunize all children including from hard-to-reach areas, slums, remote rural communities etc.
For mobilizing the population, meetings have been held with community members- local leaders, teachers, religious leaders, and community social mobilization activities have been conducted.“To claim the victory over measles we all have to go the extra mile in reaching those that have been missed in the past, to spare no efforts in reaching the hard to reach areas, the slums, the remote rural communities. To achieve the measles, rubella, and CRS elimination goal we need a coverage of over 95% at all levels. Wherever there is a child, we must bring a vaccine”, continued Dr. Aulakh.
Immunization waiting area. Photo WHO Bangladesh/ Jubair Bin Iqbal
For this goal WHO surveillance and immunization network, that includes more than 150 staff, has been supporting the public authorities at all levels to develop operational guidelines, microplanning, conduct training, vaccine and logistic planning, data reporting and recording, monitoring and supervision.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth, or throat of infected persons. Initial symptoms usually appear 10–12 days after infection and common complications include pneumonia and diarrhea. Death may occur in up to 5-10% of infected young children in developing countries.
Rubella is also a contagious viral disease that is transmitted in airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or cough. Though milder than measles, when rubella infects a pregnant woman during the first half of her pregnancy, there is the danger of fetal death or severe birth defects that especially affect the eyes, ears, heart, and brain.
WHO remains committed to ensuring continuous support to Government in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases and to achieve the goal of MR elimination from the country.