Amid a concerning rise in measles cases and fatalities, the government is launching a nationwide emergency Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign starting Monday, April 20.

The initiative aims to vaccinate approximately 18 million children aged between 6 months and under 5 years.

Hasanul Mahmud, Assistant Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), confirmed the details on Sunday.

Official Inauguration
Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain is scheduled to officially inaugurate the campaign at 8:15 AM today at the "Little Angel Seminary" in Zinda Park, located in the Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj.

Expansion of the Campaign
The government initially launched emergency vaccinations on April 5 across 30 high-risk upazilas in 18 districts. The scope was further expanded on April 12 to include:

• Dhaka South City Corporation
• Dhaka North City Corporation
• Mymensingh City Corporation
• Barisal City Corporation

With the nationwide rollout starting today, the total target population for the intervention has reached 18 million children.

Vaccination Timeline and Schedule
The campaign follows a phased schedule depending on the region:

• Initial 30 Upazilas: Ongoing since April 5, concluding on April 25.
• City Corporations: The drive started April 12 and will continue through May 20.
• Nationwide (General): The special campaign beginning today will run until May 12 in most areas.

Vaccinations will be administered daily starting at 8:00 AM at all permanent and temporary immunization centers across the country. Health officials urge parents to visit their nearest centers to ensure their children are protected against the growing outbreak.