PABNA, Apr 21: A target has been set to vaccinate 318,884 children aged between 6 months and 5 years in Pabna District with one dose of measles-rubella. Of these, 187,817 children have already been vaccinated since April 5. This is 59 per cent of the target.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Abul Kalam Azad gave this information at a press conference at the conference room of the Pabna Civil Surgeon (CS)'s office on Tuesday afternoon.
It was informed at the press conference that the vaccination programme has started in the first phase from April 5 at 808 vaccination centres, upazila health complexes and municipality vaccination centres in four risky upazilas and three municipalities of Pabna. This will continue until April 25. In addition, vaccination has started in 1,050 centres in the entire Pabna District in the second phase from Monday. It will continue until May 10.
CS Dr. Abul Kalam Azad said that even if the child has been vaccinated against measles before, he will be vaccinated in the campaign, and the vaccine will be considered as an additional dose. There should be at least a 28-day gap between the two doses. A child with any illness, even measles, cannot be vaccinated. Later, if he recovers, he can get vaccinated.
The CS also said that measles-rubella vaccination was also given in 2024-26 but it was less than the desired target. The measles-rubella vaccination programme is administered every five years in Bangladesh. Later, this vaccination programme has been started again due to the increase in the outbreak this year.
Among others, Deputy CS Dr. Mohammad Khairul Kabir, World Health Organization Pabna Medical Officer Dr. Rashedul Bari, Pabna Press Club President Akhtaruzzaman Akhtar, General Secretary Zahurul Islam, former president ABM Fazlur Rahman, former general secretary Utpal Mirza, and Journalist Mahfuz Alam.
