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A girl receives measles-rubella (MR) vaccination at the Mohammadpur Girl's School in Dhaka on 26 January 2014.
Credit: UNICEF/BANA2014-00145/Mawa.
Dhaka, 27January 2014 - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday launched a major vaccination campaign against measles and rubella during a ceremony in Dhaka.
The GAVI Alliance is supporting the three-week campaign against these two life-threatening diseases, which began 25 January and is expected to reach approximately 52 million children between nine months and 15 years old.
“This is the largest ever measles-rubella campaign launched to date with support from the GAVI Alliance,” said Dr Seth Berkley, GAVI Alliance CEO. “Investing in rubella will provide a much-needed boost to improving women’s and children’s health, and will help accelerate global progress in controlling two life-threatening diseases. GAVI plans to support 49 countries to introduce the combined measles-rubella vaccine immunizing close to 700 million boys and girls by 2020.”
This campaign is expected to reach more than 170,000 schools and 150,000 immunisation centers with a special attention to be given to children without homes and others who are difficult-to-reach.
Hundreds of health workers have been mobilised in a joint effort supported by the Government of Bangladesh, GAVI Alliance, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and other development partners including the Lions Club International.
GAVI Alliance support builds on the efforts of the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI) that have helped countries to protect 1.1 billion children against measles since 2001.
For further information : joint UNICEF, WHO, GAVI Alliance press release