DHAKA — Bangladesh will launch a nationwide second-phase special measles vaccination campaign on 25 September to contain persistent outbreaks of the highly contagious viral disease across the country.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain announced the government’s decision following a seminar held at the University Women’s Federation in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The event, organised jointly by the Association for Disabled People and the Rotary Club Ahsan Manjil to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, provided a platform for the health chief to outline pressing public health priorities.
The majority of the vaccine stock required for the upcoming drive has already arrived in the country through the assistance of UNICEF. The remaining shipments are expected to reach domestic distribution centres by 17 September, clearing the way for full-scale deployment.
Measles poses a severe threat to child health. The airborne virus spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets, sneezing, and coughing, leaving unvaccinated children particularly vulnerable. Initial symptoms typically include high fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes, followed by a distinct reddish skin rash. Without timely intervention, the disease can escalate into life-threatening complications such as severe pneumonia, middle ear infections, severe diarrhoea, and encephalitis. Public health experts continuously stress that scheduled immunisation remains the single most effective defence against community transmission.
Addressing previous containment efforts, the minister highlighted that a special “mop-up” campaign was conducted after localized transmissions persisted beyond initial immunisation rounds. That targeted intervention successfully inoculated an additional 1.4 million vulnerable children.
Detailing the administrative hurdles faced by the current administration, Minister Hossain stated that previous authorities had left no adequate reserve stocks of essential vaccines. Despite those supply deficits, the present government secured doses for 18.5 million children within a brief 21-day window, ensuring primary protection efforts continued without prolonged disruption.
Beyond the impending measles campaign, the ministry is actively managing a parallel rise in dengue cases across urban and rural districts. To alleviate severe overcrowding at tertiary hospitals in Dhaka, healthcare delivery at grassroots and sub-district levels is being systematically strengthened. Local hospitals have been equipped with dedicated isolation beds, while mobile healthcare units remain on standby to handle localized surges. The Ministry of Health is coordinating directly with the Society of Medicine to provide sub-district medical officers with standardized clinical management guidelines, ensuring prompt local diagnosis and treatment while reserving central facilities for critical cases.
