Govt pays for measles, 9 other vaccines; set to arrive soon

The government has paid for 10 types of vaccines, including measles vaccines, to help control the outbreak and reduce child mortality in the country. Health Services Division Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the vaccines are expected to arrive soon.

He made the remarks on Tuesday (March 31) after visiting Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

He said the government has already allocated Tk 604 crore for procuring 10 types of vaccines, including those for measles, and the payment has been made to UNICEF. The vaccines are expected to arrive shortly, and a nationwide immunisation campaign will begin as soon as the doses are in hand.

The secretary said the vaccination programme slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a gap. To address this, a large-scale immunisation campaign has been undertaken to boost immunity among children.

Expressing regret over child deaths in Rajshahi, he said, “We are saddened by the child deaths in Rajshahi. There were some limitations on our part, and we are working to address them.” He added that reports have suggested the measles situation has worsened, which has also been reflected in the media. However, citing a report from the World Health Organization, he said not all the deaths were caused by measles, as many patients had other complications when they were admitted to hospital. The ministry has taken extensive action plans to bring the situation under control.

He further said that patient pressure at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital has increased significantly. Although the hospital has 1,200 beds, more than 3,000 patients are currently receiving treatment, disrupting services. To manage the situation, authorities have initiated steps to transfer critically ill patients not infected with measles to alternative hospitals. Measures are also being taken to strengthen isolation facilities, along with plans to increase additional beds and medical services.