Health Minister Sardar Md Shah hoped that the ongoing measles situation in the country would be brought under control by May. Sakhawat Hossain He said that strict efforts are being made to bring the child under vaccination in the near future.
He said this while talking to reporters after visiting the 250-bed TB hospital in the capital’s Shyamoli on Thursday (April 30th).
The health minister said the goal is to bring all children under the measles vaccine within a week. Sixty-six percent of children have already been vaccinated and a hundred percent coverage has been achieved in many areas. In the first three upazilas, no new cases are being identified.
He said the vaccination campaign had been started before the deadline. The nationwide programme was supposed to start on May 5th, but it has been brought forward and implemented from April 20th.
The minister also said that the regular vaccination activities of children have been disrupted in the last few years. It has been reopened on an emergency basis. The support of international partner agencies has played an important role in this regard.
Regarding the dengue situation, he said preparations have been made in advance to deal with the potential risk. Temporary medical facilities are also being developed in various places. At the same time, the city corporations have been directed to take effective measures to control mosquitoes.
The health minister stressed that besides the treatment of the disease, prevention is the most important, so awareness and preventive measures are being strengthened.