Polio, anti-rabies vaccines back on track

Bangladesh has received 3,83,080 doses of polio vaccine from Chinese company Sinovac Biotech, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain confirmed on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference on the current status of government vaccination efforts, the minister said, “We now have sufficient vaccine stock in hand. We will begin administering polio vaccines, and there will be no problem in this regard.”

Currently, the government is focusing on restoring public confidence in vaccination programmes rather than pursuing investigations into potential mismanagement related to measles vaccines, he added.

Highlighting the health risks posed by measles, the minister noted that many patients later develop pneumonia, which in severe cases can become life-threatening and require ventilator support. “We have ensured adequate ventilator support. As of today, we have received 10 additional ventilators donated from the United States by a private pharmaceutical entrepreneur, and those will be distributed today,” he said.

The minister also confirmed that anti-rabies vaccination campaigns have resumed, assuring that no patient would be left without coverage. “All vaccination programmes are now continuing,” he stated.

Regarding Vitamin A supplementation, Husain acknowledged a slight shortage of capsules but said sufficient supplies are expected by June. He confirmed that campaigns would continue twice a year as scheduled, emphasising that shortages would not be allowed to affect the programme.

Children who remain outside routine immunisation coverage will be identified and vaccinated under the ongoing Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), he added.

When asked about a possible investigation into alleged mismanagement in vaccination activities, the minister said the government would make a decision after the current crisis subsides.

“I did not say that we would not investigate. We are currently going through a crisis period. Once this crisis ends, we will take a decision centrally,” he explained.