An emergency vaccination campaign against measles and rubella has been launched in Cox’s Bazar, aiming to immunise 120,000 children in two upazilas identified as high-risk areas.
The programme was inaugurated on Sunday (April 5) at 10:30am through a video conference from Dhaka at the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s conference room by Home Affairs Adviser Salahuddin Ahmed.
The government pilot initiative will bring children in Ramu and Maheshkhali upazilas under the vaccination drive.
In his opening remarks, the adviser said the government places the highest priority on child protection.
Following the detection of measles outbreaks in Cox’s Bazar, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken immediate measures, including active case detection, administering two doses of vitamin A capsules to infected children, vaccinating those previously left out, and strengthening healthcare services at both upazila and district levels.
He also noted that, with support from UNICEF, the measles ward at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital has been expanded from eight to 20 beds, a move that has received national appreciation.
The event, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mannan, was attended by Chattogram divisional health director Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, acting civil surgeon Dr Mahmud Uddin Mohammad Almgir, Superintendent of Police Sajedur Rahman, general secretary of Cox’s Bazar Press Club Mamun Uddin Bahari, and representatives from World Health Organization and UNICEF.
The campaign formally began with the vaccination of children at the venue.
According to the acting civil surgeon, in the first phase, the program will cover five unions and the municipality in Moheshkhali, as well as four unions in Ramu. On the first day, the target was set to vaccinate 4,233 children in Maheshkhali and 2,000 in Ramu.
Guardians expressed relief after receiving the vaccines for their children amid growing concerns over the outbreak.
Sanaul Haque, father of 13-month-old Samiul Haque, said they had been worried since the outbreak began. “Now that the vaccination drive has started, we feel reassured,” he said, welcoming the government’s initiative.
Fahima Rokhsana Shiuli, mother of seven-month-old Sajjad Islam Sagor, said she travelled from Pahartali in Cox’s Bazar to vaccinate her child. “I was very anxious about measles. Now I feel relieved after the vaccination,” she said.
Recent weeks have seen a worrying rise in measles cases in Cox’s Bazar, with at least five child deaths reported among those undergoing treatment for symptoms, prompting authorities to roll out the emergency campaign.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
