Over 20m children vaccinated against measles: Health minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said on Monday that the government’s special measles vaccination campaign has achieved encouraging success in tackling the recent outbreak of the disease. 

“More than 20 million children across the country have already been vaccinated, with the campaign achieving a 122% success rate so far,” he said while talking to the journalists after visiting Cumilla General Hospital.

He said infection rates dropped significantly in the first 18 upazilas where the measles vaccination campaign was launched.

The government’s main objective is to ensure 100% vaccination coverage for the children within the shortest possible time,” the minister said.

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Responding to a question regarding calls for an independent investigation by the World Health Organization into child deaths caused by measles, Sakhawat said punishing those responsible alone would not solve the problem.

“Our primary goal is to ensure treatment for infected children and prevent any mother from suffering the pain of losing a child in the future,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the health minister visited Cumilla General Hospital and Cumilla Medical College Hospital ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to review the emergency healthcare services, patient management, and medicine supply conditions.

During the visit, he toured several hospital wards, spoke with patients, and inspected the quality of food served to them.

Among others, Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md Rezaul Hasan, Cumilla Medical College Hospital acting director Dr Shah Jahan, Assistant Director Dr Nishat Sultana, Pediatrics Department Head Moyna Monjur Ahmed, and Additional Superintendent of Police Saiful Malik, were present at that time.