Bangladesh vaccination push
Bangladesh reported 179 child deaths so far in a measles outbreak and launched an Emergency Measles‑Rubella Vaccination Campaign in Dhaka North City Corporation targeting about 500,000 children. (tbsnews.net) Officials described the campaign as an emergency response to the high fatality toll. (tbsnews.net)
Bangladesh has started an emergency measles-rubella vaccination drive in Dhaka North after 179 children died in the outbreak this year. (tbsnews.net) Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said on April 12 that 2,639 measles cases had been laboratory confirmed between March 15 and April 12. The same Directorate General of Health Services data counted 23 confirmed measles deaths and 156 more deaths in children with suspected measles, for a total of 179. (tbsnews.net) Dhaka North City Corporation began its phase of the campaign on April 12, aiming to vaccinate about 500,000 children. The city corporation set up 54 permanent centres, 502 temporary centres, 35 evening centres and eight Friday centres. (tbsnews.net) The Dhaka push is one piece of a larger national plan that started on April 5 in 30 upazilas across 18 high-risk districts. The government, backed by the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization and Gavi, said the first phase targets more than 1.2 million children ages 6 months to 5 years. (unicef.org) That plan is scheduled to expand to four city corporations from April 12 and then go nationwide from May 3. Officials said the campaign is meant to interrupt transmission quickly in places with the heaviest caseloads. (who.int) Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or breathes, and health agencies say two doses of measles-containing vaccine are the main protection against severe disease and death. Bangladesh’s outbreak response also includes vitamin A distribution, medical supplies and community outreach. (who.int) (reliefweb.int) Hospital pressure surged as the outbreak spread. On April 6, the Directorate General of Health Services reported 1,462 hospital admissions for measles and suspected measles in 24 hours, the highest daily figure reported at that point. (tbsnews.net) Officials now say the outbreak is “under control,” but daily admissions and deaths were still being reported through April 10 and April 12. The next test is whether the vaccination campaign can reach enough children before the wider rollout begins on May 3. (tbsnews.net 1) (tbsnews.net 2)
