WHO calls for faster measles catch-up vaccination
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Bangladesh to urgently reach 34 lakh children who missed earlier vaccination campaigns as measles transmission continues across the country.
WHO Deputy Representative to Bangladesh Dr Rajesh Narwal made the call on Saturday while speaking at the launch of the Intensified Measles-Rubella Catch-up Vaccination Campaign in Dhaka.
“Bangladesh has shown remarkable leadership by promptly launching the nationwide campaign in April, when we started to see the surge in measles cases,” he said.
Dr Rajesh said epidemiological and hospital data, along with information from communities, showed that measles transmission was continuing and children were still suffering from the disease.
He said approximately 20 million children had already been reached with the measles-rubella vaccine.
“However, the work is not yet complete,” he said.
Describing the scale of the catch-up campaign, Dr Rajesh said reaching 34 lakh children within 36 days was a huge task. “That’s more than one lakh children every day.
But we should not wait for the last day. We have to start our work now. We have to start looking for children and reaching all the missed children who remain vulnerable,” he said.
He said WHO remained fully committed to supporting the government not only through the catch-up campaign but also by strengthening routine immunisation, disease surveillance and outbreak response.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that no child was left behind.
Dr Rajesh urged parents and caregivers whose children missed earlier vaccination campaigns to get them vaccinated.
“If your child missed vaccination by any chance in the earlier campaign, please, please get them vaccinated now,” he said.
He said the vaccine was highly effective and safe for children, describing vaccination as an important investment in their future health. Addressing community and religious leaders, he urged them to identify eligible children who had been missed and encourage their families to visit the nearest vaccination site.
He also asked them to facilitate the work of vaccination teams.
Dr Rajesh called on health workers to maintain the highest standards of vaccination practice, including maintaining the cold chain and reaching every child.
He also urged health workers to provide parents and caregivers with appropriate information about what to expect after vaccination.
“Most importantly, look in the communities to reach the last child who is left behind,” he said.
Addressing the media, he called for stronger efforts to counter misinformation and disinformation about vaccination.
“By working together, and ensuring that every eligible child is reached,” he said, expressing confidence that Bangladesh would be able to interrupt measles transmission very soon.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain attended the inaugural ceremony of the nationwide special measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign-2026 as the chief guest.
The event was held at the T&T playground in Korail, Banani, in the capital.
Health Services Division Secretary Dr ANM Bazlur Rashid, DGHS Additional Director General Professor Dr Md Zahid Raihan and UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh Gillian Mellsop attended the programme as guests of honour.
