STAFF CORRESPONDENT

A special measles-rubella vaccination drive in the four city corporations -- Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Mymensingh, and Barishal – began yesterday, amid a surge in measles cases and deaths.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain inaugurated the campaign at Nagar Bhaban in the capital’s Gulistan area around 11:00am. Earlier in the day, MA Muhit, state minister for health, launched it at the Karail slum.

Around 12.20 lakh children aged six months to under five years are expected to be vaccinated under this initiative, according to Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Expanded Programme on Immunization.

In Dhaka, the month-long campaign was launched through separate programmes by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

DSCC officials said 540 vaccination centres -- 90 permanent and 450 temporary -- have been established for the drive. The targeted children will receive the vaccine daily from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

DNCC officials said they have set up 558 permanent and temporary centres, supported by 35 evening centres and eight Friday-only centres.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services recorded four more confirmed measles deaths in the last 24 hours till 8:00am yesterday, taking the total confirmed measles deaths to 28.

Besides, the directorate recorded six more suspected deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of suspected measles deaths to 151.