Bangladesh to reinforce its polio-free status

Bangladesh will immunize more than 22 million children under the age of five Sunday to reinforce its polio-free status by providing two drops of polio vaccine during the 18th National Immunization Day (NID).

All children aged 0-5 years will be given two drops of polio vaccine, all children aged 12-59 months will be given one vitamin A capsule and children aged between 24 and 59 months will be given one de-worming tablet during the NID.

More than 600,000 volunteers and field workers from Health and Family Planning Ministry will work in 140,000 vaccination sites across the country.

Administering Vitamin A capsule for prevention night blindness and de-worming tablets during NIDs would be an added advantage for the children of Bangladesh.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Bangladesh Representative Carel de Rooy said Saturday the present challenge is to ensure that no children are left out no matter how much geographically isolated they are. This NID will not only maintain the polio-free status of Bangladesh, but will also effectively help reduce other childhood diseases as it combines vitamin A and de-worming.

Bangladesh has successfully maintained polio free status since Nov. 22, 2006.

Source: Xinhua