ZCZC
BSS-02
MR-CAMPAIGN-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Around 4.07 lakh children to get MR vaccines in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI, Dec 18, 2020 (BSS)- About 4.07 lakh children will be brought under one dose of measles-rubella (MR) vaccination each in the Measles-Rubella Campaign-2020 in Rajshahi district.
Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Raziul Haque disclosed this while addressing a press conference on “Measles-Rubella Campaign-2020′ arranged by the Civil Surgeon Office at its conference room in the city on Thursday.
The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) of Directorate General of Health Services, World Health Organisation, GAVI and UNICEF will extend support in arranging the campaign abiding by the health directives in the wake of the nobel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic situation.
Dr Raziul Haque said the campaign would be conducted in the district from December 19 to January 31 next at community levels in all nine upazilas and 14 municipalities across the district.
Medical Officer Dr Khurshid Alam, Surveillance Medical Officer of World Health Organization Dr Mahbub Hassan and EPI Superintendent Nur Muhammad also spoke.
Dr Haque said the campaign will be conducted against MR targeting the children from nine months to below 10 years of age. Each of the children will be vaccinated with one dose of MR vaccine irrespective of their previous vaccination status. The mass vaccination is expected to have an impact to eliminate measles and control rubella.
He urged all concerned including the journalists to make the measles-rubella vaccination campaign a total success to save children’s lives. All concerned should discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to enhance awareness among the public to ensure vaccination to cent percent children.
Illustrating the aspects of the campaign in his multimedia presentation Dr Mahbub Hassan said vaccination is vital for saving the lives of children clarifying that measles is one of the most infectious human diseases and can cause serious illness including death.
He clarified that rubella infection among women, especially during early 3 months of pregnancy, has 90 percent chance to pass the virus to fetus resulting in miscarriage, fetal death, or congenital defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The defects include cataracts, glaucoma and congenital heart disease.
Dr Hassan told the journalists that 796 vaccinators and 1,752 volunteers will be deployed for the campaign.
Earlier, they were imparted training so that they can make the vaccination campaign a total success.
BSS/AH/MR/MMA/1155HRS