(BSS) – The government is set to launch a month-long special vaccination campaign from September 26 to bring children who were missed during the measles-rubella vaccination programme under vaccination coverage.

“The campaign titled ‘Intensified MR Catch-up Vaccination’ will continue until October 31. Under this campaign, 34 lakh children will be vaccinated,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain announced at a press conference at the conference room of the health ministry at the Bangladesh Secretariat here this afternoon.

He said children aged six months to below five years who did not receive the vaccine or were missed during the ongoing measles-rubella campaign would be identified and vaccinated under the programme.

“At the same time, children who have reached six months of age during this period and are newly eligible for the vaccine will also be brought under vaccination coverage,” the minister added.

Noting that the government has taken various measures to control infections and protect children following the outbreak of measles in the country this year, Sakhawat said the measles-rubella vaccination campaign has been conducted in phases since April, and around 19.83 million children have received the vaccine so far.

He said initiatives have also been taken to strengthen routine immunisation and ensure necessary treatment for children affected by measles.

“The government has already formulated the National Guidelines on Measles-Rubella Clinical Case Management. Health workers have also been trained in this regard,” the minister said.

He said children who have been missed from vaccination would be listed and arrangements would be made to vaccinate them.

“Through this process, efforts will also be made to identify children who are outside the existing lists or previous campaign data,” Sakhawat added.

As part of the special programme, health workers and volunteers will visit households to verify the vaccination status of children, he said.

Asked what would be done if children above five years of age were found to have measles, the minister said, “Whatever the situation, we are trying to cover everyone.”

Regarding the dengue and measles situation, he said the government has made all necessary preparations to provide treatment for both diseases and there is no shortage of saline.

Sakhawat said mobile hospitals and the army personnel have also been kept ready to provide services to dengue patients in emergency situations.

“Most dengue patients can be treated at the upazila level. But many patients go directly to tertiary-level hospitals, creating additional pressure on those facilities,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Affairs SM Ziauddin Hyder, Health Services Division Secretary Dr ANM Bazlur Rashid and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General Professor Dr. Pravath Chandra Biswas were present at the press conference, among others.