Emergency jabs after 100 children die of suspected measles in a month in Bangladesh

Emergency Jabs After 100 Children Die of Suspected Measles in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has initiated an urgent vaccination effort following a rapidly spreading measles outbreak that is believed to have caused over 100 deaths, predominantly among children. This may mark the deadliest surge of the disease in the nation’s recent past. The campaign, launched on Sunday, comes as health authorities report more than 7,500 suspected cases since mid-March, with over 900 confirmed diagnoses.

Program Gaps Exposed

Although Bangladesh has consistently vaccinated children against measles, the recent outbreak has highlighted vulnerabilities in the system. “Vaccines are essential for child survival,” said Rana Flowers, Unicef’s representative in the country, during a statement on Sunday. “The current measles surge is putting thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, at serious risk.” Routine immunizations begin as early as nine months, yet one-third of those affected in the outbreak were under this age, according to Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department. This underscores concerns about the accessibility of vaccines for infants not yet eligible for regular doses.

Special measles vaccination drives, held every four years, were postponed since 2020 due to the pandemic and a “political situation,” Sajjad noted. The country faced major political instability in 2024, with anti-government protests ousting long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. An interim government took control afterward, and only in February 2025 was a new administration elected. A planned April campaign was canceled, partly due to procurement challenges, as reported by the Daily Star.

Global Trends and Response

Alongside international partners such as Unicef and the World Health Organization, Bangladesh has launched a measles and rubella campaign. Rubella, a less severe disease with similar symptoms, is also being targeted. The drive will cover 30 upazilas, aiming to reach over 1.2 million children aged six months to five years. Priority will be given to those who missed routine immunizations and are at higher risk of complications.

Measles, a highly contagious airborne illness, can lead to severe complications and fatalities. Health officials are also distributing infographics to help the public recognize and prevent the disease. The WHO notes that 95,000 global deaths were attributed to measles in 2024, most affecting children under five. While measles cases and deaths have declined worldwide over the past two decades—from 38 million in 2000 to 11 million in 2024—the Lancet reports that 2024 and 2025 saw the highest outbreaks in over 20 years, with spikes in Asia and Africa.

“Bangladesh has a strong history of high immunisation coverage, but even small disruptions can lead to gradual immunity gaps over time,” Unicef stated. “Resurgences are typically the result of accumulated weaknesses rather than a single cause.”