Bangladesh has launched an emergency vaccination campaign after a fast-spreading measles outbreak is suspected of killing more than 100 people, mostly children, in what may be the country's most lethal wave of the disease in recent history. The campaign, which began on Sunday, comes amid more than 7,500 suspected measles cases since 15 March, according to health ministry data. More than 900 of these cases have been confirmed - a sharp increase from 2025, when just 125 measles cases were recorded over the entire year, local media report. While Bangladesh has long vaccinated children against the highly contagious disease, the recent outbreak has exposed gaps in its programme, raising concern. Vaccines are foundational to child survival, Rana Flowers, the Unicef representative in Bangladesh, said in a statement on Sunday, adding that the current measles outbreak was putting thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, at serious risk.
In Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, routine measles vaccines are given to children as young as nine months old. However, Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department, noted that about one-third of those infected in the recent outbreak were under nine months old, causing particular alarm as these infants are not yet eligible for routine vaccination. The country conducts special measles vaccination campaigns every four years, but these have been disrupted since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability. The current emergency vaccination effort aims to roll out across 30 upazilas (sub-districts) and targets over 1.2 million children aged six months to five years, prioritizing those who missed routine immunization.
Measles is an airborne disease that can result in severe complications and death. Despite recent global progress in reducing measles cases and deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of resurgences fueled by falling vaccination rates. In 2024, an estimated 95,000 deaths from measles occurred globally, with UNICEF highlighting the need for robust vaccination coverage to prevent outbreaks and save lives.
In Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, routine measles vaccines are given to children as young as nine months old. However, Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department, noted that about one-third of those infected in the recent outbreak were under nine months old, causing particular alarm as these infants are not yet eligible for routine vaccination. The country conducts special measles vaccination campaigns every four years, but these have been disrupted since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability. The current emergency vaccination effort aims to roll out across 30 upazilas (sub-districts) and targets over 1.2 million children aged six months to five years, prioritizing those who missed routine immunization.
Measles is an airborne disease that can result in severe complications and death. Despite recent global progress in reducing measles cases and deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of resurgences fueled by falling vaccination rates. In 2024, an estimated 95,000 deaths from measles occurred globally, with UNICEF highlighting the need for robust vaccination coverage to prevent outbreaks and save lives.
