STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The government has advanced the launch of a special measles and rubella vaccination drive to April 20 from May 3 as measles cases continue to surge.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain announced the decision in parliament yesterday.

Earlier, on April 5, while inaugurating the emergency measles and rubella vaccination drive for 30 highly affected upazilas, he said the special campaign in four city corporations would begin on April 12, followed by a nationwide campaign from May 3.

The special drive in four city corporations -- Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Mymensingh, and Barishal -- will begin as announced earlier, Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, said.

He said a meeting with the health minister and top officials yesterday morning considered all aspects, particularly the sharp rise in measles cases, and decided to bring forward the nationwide campaign to April 20.

Sajjad added that, according to earlier estimates, 1.99 crore children aged six months to under five years were supposed to be covered by the nationwide drive.

“However, as the emergency drive in 30 upazilas has already begun, and the drives in the four city corporations are set to begin on April 12, the children covered under those drives will be deducted from the nationwide campaign.”

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