ASIA/BANGLADESH - To avoid another epidemic: vaccination campaign against measles for 20 million children

Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) – In Bangladesh, thousands of health workers and volunteers have been sent across the country to immunize 20 million children against measles. The campaign was launched with the vaccination of 2.5 million children in one day. More than 50 thousand health workers, 600 thousand volunteers and NGOs are taking part in the campaign, engaged in 120 thousand locations scattered throughout the country. Vaccinations are provided for all children between nine months and five years of age and older, and children between 0 and 5 months will be given two doses of vaccine against polio. UNICEF estimates that about 4 million children under age five in Bangladesh are not immunized against measles. The last national campaign against the disease in the Asian country was conducted in 2005-2006, when 35 million children were vaccinated between nine months and 10 years of age. In 2006, only 7 outbreaks were recorded, compared with 27 of the first two months of 2006, prior to the campaign. In 2007, no outbreak was recorded, and one in 2008 and 2009. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles, a highly contagious viral disease remains a leading cause of death among children around the world, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. In 2008, about 164,000 people have died of this infection. Most of them were children under five years of age. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 16/2/2010)