President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday greeted the countrymen on the occasion of National Immunization Day 2020.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said polio is a deadly disease for children and children with this disease suffer from paralysis and in some cases even death.
He added that global polio vaccination program has now made it possible to eradicate the disease.
Bangladesh has also succeeded in eradicating polio, he said, adding that the year-long vaccination program across the country has played an important role in eradicating polio.
He said it is important to continue the polio vaccination program in the country as not all the countries in the subcontinent are completely polio free.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina praised the contribution of the Rotary Clubs of Bangladesh saying that they [Rotary Clubs] are going to issue a special supplement on the polio vaccination program.
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The prime minister said the role of Rotarians in eradicating polio worldwide is undeniable.
Bangladesh is ahead of many countries in eradicating polio, she said, adding that Bangladesh became polio free in 2006 but the country is not safe as there are still polio cases in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
That is why the polio vaccination program must continue, Hasina added.
She went on saying that Bangladesh has made a lot of progress in the immunization program.
Almost every child in Bangladesh is covered by the immunization program, which has resulted in a significant reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, she said, adding that Bangladesh received the ‘Vaccine Hero Award’ given by Gavi in 2019, which she [prime minister] received on September 23, 2019, in New York.
