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UNICEF National Ambassador for Bangladesh Bidya Sinha Mim is visiting Sylhet this week to meet children whose lives have been upended by floods that ravaged northeastern Bangladesh in May and June this year, according to a press release Thursday.
The widespread flooding affected the lives of 7.2 million people, including 3.5 million children, and caused a food, water and sanitation crisis. Families have been forced to abandon their belongings and seek shelter as hundreds of schools and medical facilities have been destroyed.
‘The stories I heard from children and their parents in Sylhet are heart-rending. They have shown incredible resilience even as their lives have been turned upside down by the floods, and we must continue to stand by them and support their recovery,’ said Mim after speaking to children at Gowainghat upazila.
Ten-year-old Najimul, one of the children Mim met, told her, ‘I did not understand what was happening when the waters started coming into our home. My clothes, books and everything in our home was washed away. I would have been washed away too if we had not left for a school-turned-shelter. I did not eat anything for three or four days, until we were given dry food at the shelter.’
Months after the waters receded, millions of families are still reeling from the devastation. UNICEF supported the Government’s flood emergency response by providing urgent safe water, sanitation, safety, health and nutrition supplies and services, and by prioritizing the protection of children from drowning, separation, violence, diseases and abuse. To date, more than one million people – 40 percent of whom are children – have benefitted from UNICEF’s continuing assistance.
During her two-day tour, Mim saw first-hand how UNICEF contributes to the restoration of flood-damaged latrines, water points, schools and health facilities. Mim also met with social workers who spoke about their support to children and their families after the floods.
‘Mim’s visit reminds us of that even after the waters recede, children remain at risk from flooding and other emergencies related to climate change in Bangladesh. Today, Mim gives voice to the plight of children who – months after the emergency – are still facing difficulties and need support,’ said Mr. Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.
Mim, who was appointed as UNICEF’s national ambassador in Bangladesh in May 2022, also visited children and adolescents in Sylhet, including in a tea garden and a UNICEF-supported adolescent club.
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]]>The post Bangladesh top recipient of Covid vaccines under covax: Unicef appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>Bangladesh is the top recipient of Covid-19 vaccines under Unicef’s Covax program since its first delivery following the start of the pandemic.
Unicef has delivered over 190 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh, and it has received the most vaccines under the global initiative co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the WHO, said a press release issued on Tuesday.
Covax accounts for more than 62 percent of Covid vaccine doses received by Bangladesh, according to the release.
Covid-19 vaccination started in Bangladesh in February 2021. Unicef delivered the first Covax shipment of vaccines to Bangladesh on June 1 last year at a time when only 4 percent of the population were fully vaccinated.
“With the committed strong leadership of the prime minister, Bangladesh has shown incredible resilience to face the pandemic. With continuous supply of vaccines and hard work of dedicated health workers, we have been able to vaccinate the targeted population without wasting doses,” said Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional directorate general (planning and development), DGHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
“Bangladesh’s ability to absorb and roll out Covid-19 vaccines is a testament to what can be achieved when there is political commitment and an equitable supply of vaccines. The success in getting millions of vaccines quickly and safely into arms in every corner of the country has been nothing short of remarkable,” said Unicef Representative to Bangladesh Sheldon Yett.
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National Film Award winning actress Bidya Sinha Saha Mim has been appointed UNICEF’s newest national ambassador in Bangladesh.As a UNICEF National Ambassador, Mim joins prominent personalities around the world who use their voice and prominence to advocate for the rights of children, said a press release.
‘Across our country, UNICEF is there with us to protect children and their right to education, health and a bright future. I have long admired UNICEF’s work for children. It is an honour for me to be part of that cause, for every child,’ said Mim on Thursday.
‘Each of us has a responsibility to speak up for the rights of children and women. I am looking forward to doing my part together with UNICEF,’ she added.
As one of the best-known film stars in Bangladesh, Mim brings with her energy and enthusiasm, as well as a deep commitment to the protection of the most vulnerable children and women in this country, said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative to Bangladesh.
’We are thrilled to have Mim on board and we look forward to working with her for the rights and well-being of every child,’ Yett said.
In her professional life, Mim has established herself as an inspiring advocate for women’s rights and a leading voice against violence.
As a UNICEF National Ambassador in Bangladesh, Mim will raise awareness about the rights of children, especially those most vulnerable. She will lend her voice to UNICEF’s causes that are closest to her heart, including speaking out against the violence that children and women face in Bangladesh.
Before her appointment, Mim has already collaborated with UNICEF to raise awareness about Covid prevention. Since the start of the pandemic, she has joined the chorus of voices around the world highlighting the critical role of vaccines in saving lives, and the need for greater investment in immunization services.
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