Narayanganj: Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain has announced that a nationwide extensive vaccination program will begin on September 26. "The regular immunisation programme will also continue to protect children from measles," he stated while addressing a free medical camp at Paragaon Eidgah ground in Rupganj, Narayanganj. The event was organised by the Upazila unit of BNP and the Rupganj Private Hospital Clinic and Diagnostic Association on the occasion of the 48th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Health Minister expressed concern that most of the children with measles who are coming to hospitals have not been vaccinated. He emphasized that there is no alternative to vaccination for protecting children from measles. Sakhawat Husain also noted that the previous government had left no vaccines in stock, highlighting the current administration's efforts under the leadership of the Prime Minister to procure two crore doses of vaccine within 21 days, thereby vaccinating two crore children aged six months to 59 months.
The Health Minister addressed the occurrence of measles in the country, pointing out that children are currently dying after contracting pneumonia due to nutritional deficiencies. In light of this, he reiterated the importance of vaccination for child protection, ensuring that the regular vaccination program will continue so that no child suddenly falls ill.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Narsingdi-3 constituency lawmaker Manzur Elahi, Narsingdi-5 constituency lawmaker Engineer Md Ashraf Uddin Bakul, Narayanganj-5 constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Abul Kalam, Women's Reserved Seat-328, MP, Momtaz Alo, and Narayanganj District BNP Convener Professor Mamun Mahmud, along with local leaders.