Protecting children at risk of measles is now a national priority. Working in step with the government’s measles-rubella vaccination campaign, clinics in the Surjer Hashi Network are carrying out field-level vaccination, the organization said. Thousands of children are receiving free measles-rubella vaccines through Surjer Hashi health workers, helping to prevent disease, reduce child deaths and build a healthier generation.
Each year, in support of the government’s routine Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and under its own programs, Surjer Hashi administers a range of life-saving vaccines to millions of children, the organization said. These include vaccines against preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis, influenza, pneumonia, polio, measles, rubella, diarrhea, chickenpox and cholera.
The program plays a significant role in ensuring children are vaccinated and in reducing the risk of illness and death, it said. Surjer Hashi, which has worked on child health for years, administered nearly 5 million vaccines over the past five years according to its records alone. During vaccination campaigns, however, the heavy workload and limited time mean not every dose given in the field can be documented, so the actual number administered is significantly higher than the recorded figure, the organization said. Surjer Hashi also provides vaccines against preventable diseases such as cervical cancer, tetanus and hepatitis for adolescent girls and mothers.
Launched with USAID funding, Surjer Hashi clinics have for 29 years served as a point of trust for millions of people through a network reaching from remote areas to towns and small district centers, the organization said. Through antenatal care, routine health checks, counseling, safe delivery and post-natal care for mothers and newborns, the organization has contributed to maternal and child health at the national level.
The organization said it plays a role in safe delivery and in reducing maternal and child mortality, contributions it described as a valuable asset to the country’s public health sector. By providing quality and affordable health care, Surjer Hashi has positioned itself as a symbol of public trust, it said. Even amid funding difficulties, the organization continues to bring essential health services to people’s doorsteps.
Given the current measles situation, the organization urged all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive the vaccines appropriate for their age. Children can be protected from measles and other preventable diseases by getting vaccinated at a nearby Surjer Hashi clinic, a government health center or another approved health facility, it said. Timely vaccination is one of the most effective ways to build a healthy and safe future.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report