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

Emergency Jabs After 100 Children Die of Suspected Measles in a Month in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has initiated a rapid immunization initiative following a measles outbreak that has claimed over 100 lives, primarily children, in a month. This marks the country’s most deadly wave of the disease in recent history, according to health ministry data. The campaign began on Sunday, responding to a surge of more than 7,500 suspected cases since March 15, with over 900 confirmed infections.

Routine measles vaccinations, typically administered to infants as young as nine months, have faced challenges. A deputy health official revealed that one-third of those affected in the outbreak were under nine months old, highlighting a critical gap in the immunization program. “Vaccines are foundational to child survival,” said Rana Flowers, Unicef’s representative in Bangladesh, stressing the risk posed by the outbreak to “thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable.”

“Measles resurgences are typically the result of these accumulated gaps rather than a single factor,” Unicef noted in its statement.

The country’s special measles vaccination campaigns, held every four years, have been delayed. Since 2020, no such campaigns were organized, initially due to the pandemic and later because of a “political situation,” according to BBC Bangla. Bangladesh experienced significant political unrest in 2024, which led to the resignation of its long-standing leader, Sheikh Hasina. An interim government followed, and a new administration was elected in February. A planned campaign for April was canceled, with officials citing procurement issues as a cause for vaccine shortages.

Collaborating with international partners like Unicef and the World Health Organization, Bangladesh is now rolling out an emergency campaign targeting more than 1.2 million children aged six months to five years. The initiative focuses on 30 upazilas, including Dhaka, the densely populated capital, and Cox’s Bazar, which hosts crowded Rohingya refugee camps. Priority is given to children who missed routine immunizations, as they are most at risk of severe illness.

Health authorities are also distributing infographics to educate the public on recognizing and preventing measles. The disease, which spreads through airborne transmission, can lead to life-threatening complications. In 2024, the WHO reported an estimated 95,000 measles-related deaths globally, with the majority affecting children under five. While global cases and deaths have declined sharply over the past two decades—from 38 million in 2000 to 11 million in 2024—the organization warns of a resurgence as vaccination rates dip. Medical journal *The Lancet* noted that 2024 and 2025 saw the highest number of outbreaks in over 20 years, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa.