An emergency Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign-2026 is set to begin in Chattogram, targeting more than 11 lakhs children across the district and city corporation areas.
Under this campaign, a total of 767,952 children in 15 Upazilas of Chattogram district will be vaccinated. Additionally, over 300,000 children in the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) area will be brought under the program.
The information was revealed at a press conference held at the Civil Surgeon’s Office on Sunday.
Chattogram Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr. Mohammad Touhidul Anwar and Medical Officer Dr. Mohammad Nurul Haydar, among other officials were present.
According to the Civil Surgeon, the target population has been divided into two groups: 151,755 school-going children and 616,197 children at the community level. The campaign will be conducted from May 20 to June 10 over 11 working days.
All children aged between 6 months and under 5 years will receive one dose of the MR vaccine. Even those who have previously received the measles vaccine under routine immunization programs will be vaccinated again during this special campaign.
The vaccination drive will cover 200 unions and 600 wards across 15 upazilas. A total of 4,815 vaccination centers have been prepared. To implement the campaign, 929 field workers, 524 Community Health Care Providers and 371 medical officers will be deployed.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Jahangir Alam said measles and rubella are highly contagious and potentially life-threatening diseases for children, making timely vaccination crucial. The target is to ensure at least 95 percent coverage among children in the district.
He said, sick or hospitalized children will not be vaccinated until they recover, and no child will be vaccinated without parental consent. The campaign will run alongside routine EPI activities to ensure no child is left behind. An online registration system has also been introduced, allowing parents to collect vaccination cards conveniently.
