Bangladesh is committed , to eradicating polio by the year 2000. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a partner with UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) In

Bangladesh's National Expanded Programme of

Immunization (EPI) to achieve this goal.

The objective of EPI is to reduce the present level of infant and child mortality. A

survey conducted in 1983 showed that 10.000 children in Bangladesh suffer from diseases related to polio every year.

USAID, in’ support of the programme has committed funds totalling $9,840,000 to implement projects undertaken by the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Prior to the’ start of USAID’s involvement in the EPI programme in 1988. only 5 per cent of Bangladeshi children had been fully

Immunized in the urban areas. Today. 80 per cent of urban children under two years of age have been immunized, and 75 per cent fully immunized nation-wide.

USAID is contributing its technical and financial assistance through a US-based organization called BASICS (Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival). The BASICS experts and helpers are now working in Bangladesh urban areas under four city corporations and 88 municipal committees.

Bangladesh will observe its first ever National Immunization Day (NID) tomorrow • (March 16). On this day, all children under five years of. age. throughout the country, will be immunized against poliomyelitis. About 20 million children are expected to benefit from this nationwide programme. Recently, b mehia briefing, in which USAID representatives participated, was held to explain the NID strategy.

Courtesy — USIS.