Dhaka: Children in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will soon receive vaccination alerts through push notifications and SMS, ensuring comprehensive immunisation coverage. The DNCC administrator, Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, emphasized the use of these digital tools alongside grassroots awareness campaigns and door-to-door outreach activities as part of a concerted effort to deliver vaccine-related information directly to parents.
According to United News of Bangladesh, this announcement was made during a discussion titled ‘Challenges and Way Forward of Coordinated Activities of DNCC Stakeholders to Strengthen Immunisation Programme and Health System in Bangladesh and Response to the 2026 Measles Outbreak’. The event was held at the DNCC auditorium and organized in collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), UNICEF Bangladesh, and the Health Protection Foundation. Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, addressing the gathering as the chief guest, highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and non-government stakeholders to enhance healthcare and vaccination initiatives.
The meeting revealed that Bangladesh has made significant strides in disease prevention, having eliminated polio and tetanus and controlled hepatitis. Vaccination coverage for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and TCV (Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine) has reached 93 percent and 97 percent, respectively. The EPI programme currently provides vaccines against 12 diseases using nine antigens. The EPI Coverage Evaluation Survey 2023 indicates that urban areas in Bangladesh have a vaccination coverage of 79 percent, with Dhaka North City Corporation achieving 75.4 percent, a 1.2 percent increase from 2019.
The meeting also addressed the ongoing measles-rubella outbreak anticipated in 2026. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported, as of May 6, 2026, a total of 44,260 suspected measles cases, 6,099 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 268 suspected measles-related deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread across 58 of the 64 districts as a high-risk national public health concern, with children under five being the most vulnerable.
An emergency MR (Measles-Rubella) vaccination campaign began on April 5, targeting children aged 6-59 months. Additional MR vaccination efforts started in Dhaka North City Corporation areas on April 20. Speakers at the event underscored the government’s prioritization of immunisation programs, noting the global recognition of Bangladesh’s success in achieving universal healthcare through effective immunisation, which has significantly reduced child and maternal mortality rates.
Prominent speakers included Jagannath University professor Md Rafiq Ul Islam, UNICEF Immunization Manager Dr Riad Mahmud, and Health Protection Foundation Executive Director Dr Nizam Uddin Ahmed. The programme was moderated by Dr Mahmudah Ali and chaired by Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury.