Emergency jabs after 100 children die of suspected measles in a month in Bangladesh
Emergency Vaccination Drive Launched in Bangladesh Amid Measles Surge
Bangladesh has initiated an urgent immunization campaign following a rapid spread of measles, which is suspected to have caused over 100 deaths, predominantly among children, marking one of the deadliest recent waves of the disease. The effort began on Sunday, with health ministry records showing more than 7,500 suspected cases since March 15. Of these, over 900 have been confirmed, a stark rise from the 125 cases recorded in the entire year of 2025, as reported by local media.
Program Gaps Exposed by Outbreak
Despite longstanding efforts to vaccinate children against measles, the recent surge has revealed weaknesses in the system. Rana Flowers, Unicef’s representative in Bangladesh, warned in a statement that the outbreak threatens “thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, with severe risks.” Routine vaccines are administered to infants as young as nine months, but nearly a third of those infected in the outbreak were under this age, according to Flowers.
“Vaccines are foundational to child survival,” said Flowers. “The current measles outbreak is putting thousands of children at serious risk.”
Delays in Special Campaigns
Bangladesh typically runs targeted measles immunization drives every four years, but these have been postponed. Deputy Health Department official Shahriar Sajjad attributed the delay to disruptions caused by the pandemic and a “political situation” that led to the country’s government change in 2024. Anti-government protests in that year ousted long-time leader Sheikh Hasina, resulting in an interim administration before a new government was elected in February.
The planned April campaign did not materialize due to vaccine shortages, with procurement issues cited as a key factor. The Daily Star noted that the former interim government introduced a new system for acquiring vaccines, which some critics link to the scarcity.
Emergency Measures and Focus Areas
The emergency campaign, supported by international partners like Unicef and WHO, aims to vaccinate over 1.2 million children aged six months to five years across 30 upazilas. It prioritizes those who missed routine doses and emphasizes areas with high risk, including Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, where overcrowded refugee camps amplify transmission risks.
Global Trends and Health Warnings
Measles remains a deadly threat globally, with an estimated 95,000 deaths in 2024, mostly affecting children under five, per WHO. While global cases have dropped from 38 million in 2000 to 11 million in 2024, The Lancet reported that 2024 and 2025 saw the highest number of outbreaks in over two decades. Unicef highlighted that measles resurgences often stem from “accumulated gaps” rather than a single cause, stressing the need for sustained efforts to maintain coverage.