Red Crescent to start measles, rubella vaccination in 10 districts

The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is working closely with the government's health department as a partner in implementing the nationwide Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign.

Red Crescent will be supporting this campaign in 10 districts — Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sirajganj, Tangail, Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka South City Corporation area — which will start simultaneously from Saturday.

The volunteers of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society will help to immunize about 40,000 children in the country and raise public awareness during the six-week measles-rubella campaign, reads a press release.

Implementation of such activities is a challenge amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. However, it is equally important to deal with the other health related issues.

Red Crescent comes forward during this difficult time and will be helping the government during this vaccination campaign which will be protecting hundreds of children from possible measles and rubella illness.

About 200 trained Red Crescent Youth and volunteers including Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) volunteers and health workers, will work with the government to implement this vaccination program from December 12, 2020 to January 24, 2021.

Red Crescent's health department provided training to these volunteers and staff. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is providing necessary support to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society for this initiative.

On Saturday, the measles and rubella vaccination program will be officially inaugurated at the Shaheed Moyez Uddin Red Crescent Community Hospital in Banglabazar, run by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.

Deputy secretary general of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, director of the Health Department of the Society, as well as representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will be present.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Shahana Zafar, Director of the Health Department, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society requested everyone to vaccinate their children.

At the same time, she urged everyone to follow health protection measures like wearing mask, maintaining physical distancing as much as possible and maintaining hygiene practise like sneezing-coughing etiquette, regular hand washing.

Red Crescent volunteers will be present at the centre and will help people to maintain that.