Over 1.5 crore children have been vaccinated during the first four days of the national measles-rubella vaccination campaign, the largest ever of its kind.
Officials have so far provided vaccines for measles and rubella diseases, as well as two drops of polio vaccines, to 1 crore 53 lakh 47 thousand 116 children between the ages of nine months to 15 years, at the rate of vaccinating 38 lakh children a day.
The large number of vaccination has been achieved despite concerns among parents following the deaths of two children, who died allegedly after being administered with the vaccines at Gazipur and Jhenaidah on Monday.
They deceased were Afroza, 12, of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur and Ariful Islam, 11, of Harinakundu upazila in Jhenaidah.
Following the deaths, allegations have been raised against vaccination workers for not collecting the children’s medical histories.
However, seeking anonymity, several senior health officials told the Dhaka Tribune that it was not possible for them to collect individual medical histories because of the massive rush of vaccine-seeking children.
Professor Dr Khondokar Md Sefayetullah, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said primary investigation has found that both the deceased children were being treated for asthma. The probe also did not find any fault by vaccination officials or the vaccine itself, he added.
The DG also urged parents not to panic and to send their children for vaccination within February 13, the final day of the campaign.
According to the World Health Organization guideline for measles-rubella vaccination, one out of every one-lakh children may face adverse affects from the vaccination.
Dr Shafiqur Rahman, deputy director and program manager of Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) Surveillence, said AEFI (Adverse Event Following Immunization) reports from upazila and district inquiry committees showed that both the deceased children were asthma patients who failed to mention their ailment to the health workers before being vaccinated.
The health ministry has formed two separate senior-level probe committees to investigate the causes of death and possible shortcomings in treatment, and submit their report within three working days.
A four-member committee, led by acting principle of Dhaka Medical College Prof Dr Md Ismail Khan, will probe into the death of Afroza in Gazipur. Another four-member committee, headed by acting principle of Jessore Medical College Dr Abu Hena Md Mahbub Ul Mowla Chowdhury, will investigate the cause of Ariful’s death in Jhenaidah.
During the first week of the ongoing campaign, the DGHS is hoping to vaccinate around 3 crore 35 lakh students, as well as providing measles-rubella vaccines at 120,000 fixed sites of Expanded Immunization Programme during February 1-13.
A total of 66,993 skilled vaccination officials and 241,000 trained volunteers have been working to reach the target of vaccinating over five crore children during the national campaign.
