DHAKA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government Sunday launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign targeting more than 1.3 million children in areas with high infection rates, as the death toll from suspected cases continued to rise.
Bangladeshi Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain inaugurated the drive at a health complex near the capital Dhaka on Sunday morning.
According to the minister, the campaign covers children aged between six months and five years in the country's 18 districts, where the infection rate is relatively high.
The health minister also announced that a nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign will begin on May 3, covering all remaining districts across Bangladesh.
Hossain said the emergency campaign was designed following experts' recommendations to quickly control the spread of the disease and ensure protection for children at risk.
The move comes amid a recent surge in measles cases and related deaths. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), four more deaths from suspected measles were recorded in the 24 hours by 8 a.m. Saturday, raising the total deaths to 98. ■
