TDS Desk:

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain has said that all children in the country will be brought under measles vaccination coverage within the next week.

He made the remarks at an event held at the TB Hospital in Shyamoli, Dhaka, on Thursday, where the United States handed over GeneXpert cartridges and preventive medicines for children under the National Tuberculosis Control Program.

The minister said that the US has provided 600,000 GeneXpert cartridges and tuberculosis preventive medicines for 11,000 children, which will play an important role in controlling TB.

He also assured that there is no shortage of vaccines or syringes, adding that supplies will reach all vaccination centres across the country by Friday.

Responding to a recent report on a supposed shortage of polio vaccines, he rejected the claim, saying the issue at a Mirpur urban health centre was misunderstood. “We investigated the matter. The patient received the vaccine but did not take it while leaving. Later, they claimed it was unavailable. The report may have been published without proper verification,” he said, insisting that there is no shortage of polio vaccines.

The minister also said that despite having funds, proper healthcare management had not been effectively implemented over the past years. “I do not want to blame anyone. We are trying to normalize the system,” he added.

Speaking about the measles situation, he said that no significant vaccination efforts had been carried out over the past six years to prevent the disease. “We launched the campaign on an emergency basis. Without the support of Unicef, Gavi, the World Bank, and the United States, the situation could have been far worse,” he said.

He noted that although the nationwide vaccination campaign was initially scheduled for May 5, it was brought forward by 14 days. “We did not wait for the scheduled date after receiving the vaccines. We began the campaign from April 20,” he added.

Highlighting the progress of the campaign, the minister said that 61% of the target population has already been covered. “Within the next week, 100% of children will be brought under measles vaccination. In many areas, full coverage has already been achieved,” he said.

He further said that in the first 30 upazilas where the campaign began, no measles cases have been reported so far.

Addressing the growing patient load and dengue concerns, the minister said temporary tents are being arranged to manage the pressure. “From tomorrow, tents will be set up at designated open grounds to accommodate patients,” he said.

He emphasized that prevention remains the priority in tackling dengue. “We do not want dengue cases to rise. While we will ensure treatment, prevention is the most important. We have instructed city corporations to intensify mosquito control measures,” he added.