Biggest-ever vaccine drive begins

The ‘biggest’ nationwide immunisation campaign in Bangladesh’s history began on Saturday. The target of the campaign is to immunise at least 52 million children aged between nine months and 15 years against two deadly diseases – measles and rubella. Dr Syed Abu Jafar Md Musa who oversees the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) told bdnews24.com that they had started injecting the combined (MR) vaccine in schools. “First week children will get the vaccine injected in schools and from Feb 1 we will start the drive at the community level,” he said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the “biggest-ever” campaign, targeting over one-third of Bangladesh’s population, formally on Sunday morning, Musa said. The immunisation drive will continue for three weeks.The two highly contagious viral infections almost have similar symptoms – rashes and fever. But rubella can cause birth defects.