DHAKA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Bangladesh vaccinated 22 million children against polio on Saturday, in the second round of a fresh drive against the incurable disease that re-emerged in the country nearly three years ago, health officials said.

The first round of the campaign to immunise all children under 5 was held on Nov. 28, with the assistance of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Bangladesh, declared polio-free in August 2000, has launched several rounds of vaccinations since the disease re-emerged in March 2006, infecting some 18 children across the country until late 2007.

Most cases were detected in eastern areas on the border with India.

Field workers from the health and family welfare ministry, along with some 600,000 volunteers, administered oral polio vaccines to some 22 million children, and vitamin A capsule to 21 million children at 140,000 sites, officials at the health directorate said.

Health officials will follow a four-day door-to-door visit so that every child is vaccinated.

Polio affects mainly children under 5 and causes paralysis in a matter of hours, health officials said. (Reporting by Nizam Ahmed; Editing by Alex Richardson)

AlertNet news is provided by