1.97 Crore Children Vaccinated Against Measles in Five Months

The government has vaccinated 1,97,71,720 children nationwide against measles and rubella over the past five months under its ongoing vaccination programme, exceeding the initial target by around 10%.

Following a measles outbreak at the end of March this year, the government launched an emergency vaccination drive on 5 April, initially covering 30 upazilas across 18 districts.

The second phase began on 12 April in four major city corporations—Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Barishal and Mymensingh. The third and final phase, a nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign, started on 20 April, according to officials from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Amid the continuing measles outbreak, the government is now preparing to launch another large-scale vaccination campaign from 26 September to further curb the spread of the disease.

Officials initially set a target of vaccinating around 1.8 crore children across the country. However, the number of children vaccinated has surpassed the target due to various government initiatives.

According to DGHS data, the target was to vaccinate 1,80,15,064 children against measles and rubella. As of 13 September, 1,97,71,720 children had received the vaccine.

Data from the integrated control centre for the measles-rubella vaccination programme shows that 11,10,698 children were vaccinated in Barishal division, 48,41,924 in Chattogram, 49,19,913 in Dhaka, 16,95,779 in Khulna, 15,30,916 in Mymensingh, 22,13,197 in Rajshahi, 20,73,488 in Rangpur and 13,85,805 in Sylhet.

In city corporation areas, 44,119 children were vaccinated in Barishal, 3,36,870 in Chattogram, 48,643 in Cumilla, 5,57,688 in Dhaka North, 4,18,972 in Dhaka South, 2,06,927 in Gazipur, 83,697 in Narayanganj, 96,792 in Khulna, 62,305 in Mymensingh, 63,059 in Rajshahi, 82,253 in Rangpur and 72,349 in Sylhet.

DGHS Additional Director General Professor Dr Zahid Raihan told BSS that child vaccination is an ongoing process.

He said the decision to launch another nationwide mass measles vaccination campaign from 26 September represents an intensified government effort to prevent further infections.

“The main objective of the programme is to ensure that no child remains unvaccinated,” he added.