Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain announced that the current government has an adequate supply of measles vaccines and has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign. He made the statement on Friday afternoon while visiting the 250-bed General Hospital in Munshiganj.

The minister said that the previous two governments failed to conduct regular measles vaccination campaigns, which were supposed to be held every four years. As a result, a large number of children became infected with measles. He attributed the current situation to that negligence. The minister added that the present BNP government has started measles vaccination activities in 30 upazilas across 18 districts.

He also stated that Dr. Ahmad Kabir, the hospital superintendent, was temporarily withdrawn for making an irresponsible statement claiming there was no rabies vaccine. The minister said the statement was incorrect and intentional, and departmental action would be taken. During the visit, the Munshiganj civil surgeon also ordered the withdrawal of a stenotypist from the civil surgeon’s office.