About 80.7 percent of the country’s children received all kinds of vaccination under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 2013 against the previous rate of 80.2 percent, revealed a 2013 survey of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
The survey report, titled ‘Coverage Evaluation Survey 2013’, was launched by the EPI at a programme at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
The EPI is being jointly implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
The report showed that the highest implementation of immunisation programme is in Rajshahi Division as it registered is 85.2 percent.
Among the city corporation, Rajshahi City Corporation ranked the top in immunization coverage with 90.8 percent of the children covered under the programme.
Bagerhat, Laxmipur and Jhenidah respectively immunised 91, 88.8, 88.4 percent children under the EPI.
The report showed 99 percent of people in the country got Tuberculosis (TB) vaccination.
The EPI programme ensured women between the age of 15 and 49 to get five dose of TT vaccination making 91 percent of the children are now secure from Tetanus.
Cox’s Bazar won the best award for implementing TT-5 vaccination as the rate is 75.2 percent, the highest in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim said Bangladesh has set an example in immunisation programme across the world.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jahid Malek Swapan, Director General of Health Department Prof Dr Din Mohammad Nurul Haque, Health Secretary MM Niaz Uddin and World Health Organization (WHO) representative Jayantha Liyanage also spoke at the programme.
Source: UNB
