Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain announced a nationwide mobilization against measles and dengue on Saturday, launching a comprehensive "catch-up" vaccination drive to bridge a four-year administrative vacuum that left millions of children vulnerable.
Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain has stated that everyone must declare war against measles and dengue.
He made these remarks on Saturday during the inauguration ceremony of the nationwide special measles-rubella vaccination campaign for 2026.
The Health Minister noted that a government must always remain vigilant in combating infectious diseases. It was the government's responsibility to launch a mass vaccination program against these epidemics once every four years following December 20, 2020. However, the vaccination program remained suspended from 2020 until April 2026.
He explained that regarding vaccine procurement, the previous government had opted for an open tender system instead of the direct purchasing method facilitated by UNICEF. Despite repeated requests from international agencies, their advice was ignored, leading to delays. Consequently, the current government has had to bear the consequences of the four-year gap upon assuming office.
The Health Minister remarked that this situation caused suffering for many mothers across the country and led to the tragic loss of children. Approximately one thousand children died out of the 18.5 million (1 crore 85 lakh) targeted for vaccination. Describing the death of even a single child as deeply tragic, he noted that the loss of a child is also incredibly painful for him personally.
He said that the vaccination program was launched on April 5 after he assumed office. In the first phase, operations were conducted in 18 districts, following a three-stage plan set by UNICEF. Dhaka and two other major city corporations were included in the subsequent phase. Although the program was originally scheduled to begin on May 4, it was brought forward to launch nationwide on April 20. He stated that 18.5 million children were vaccinated under this program.
The Health Minister added that, alongside the disease itself, nutritional deficiencies were observed among children infected with measles. According to medical experts, pneumonia—compounded by malnutrition—is a primary cause of death for children suffering from measles. Due to a lack of adequate nutrition, many children quickly develop pneumonia upon contracting measles, leading to severe conditions where oxygen intake into the lungs is compromised.
He announced that, given the circumstances, Dr. Chishti of icddr,b has developed a bottle-based CPAP system at a cost of only 150 Taka. He stated that this method was used to supply oxygen to children who were unable to breathe normally, noting that it helped save the lives of many children.
Commending the country's physicians, the Health Minister remarked that doctors in Bangladesh have worked with great dedication during various epidemics and emergencies. He expressed his gratitude for their tireless efforts and sacrifices, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that, as Bangladesh is a densely populated country, there is a high risk of measles spreading rapidly. Describing measles as a highly contagious disease, he explained that infection can spread to other children if they are in close proximity to an infected child. He also mentioned that transmission could occur through sharing beds or close contact with an infected individual.
The Health Minister reported that while 22.5 million children were covered under the Vitamin A capsule program, 18.5 million received the measles-rubella vaccine. Recognizing the gap of approximately 4 million children between the two programs, an initiative was launched to identify and vaccinate the missed children. Consequently, an additional 1.4 million children were located and vaccinated during the period extending from the day after the previous campaign ended until the day after Eid-ul-Azha.
However, as measles had not been completely eradicated, a new vaccination drive was initiated; the Health Minister stated that UNICEF provided an additional 4 million vaccine doses within ten days. Combining these new doses with existing stock, a "catch-up" program targeting 3.4 million children has been launched. This group comprises 1 million newborns and 2.4 million children who had previously missed vaccination.
He announced that, starting today, the vaccination program has been launched with renewed vigor across every union and upazila, involving the local administration, Civil Surgeons, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), and health workers.
Sardar Sakhawat Hossain sought the cooperation of the media to ensure the program's success. The Health Minister stated that many working mothers are unable to bring their children to vaccination centers during the day; considering their situation, arrangements have been made to administer vaccines on holidays as well.
He added that vaccination activities would continue even after evening hours. He also mentioned the goal of bringing all children aged six to 59 months under this campaign.
FP/A
