Bangladesh has initiated an urgent vaccination campaign following a devastating measles outbreak that has killed more than 100 people, predominantly children, in just one month. Health authorities report over 7,500 suspected cases since mid-March, with more than 900 confirmed infections—a dramatic surge compared to the 125 cases recorded throughout all of 2025.
Rana Flowers, UNICEF's representative in Bangladesh, emphasized the critical nature of the situation in a recent statement: "Vaccines are foundational to child survival. This measles outbreak is putting thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, at serious risk."
Why Has This Outbreak Occurred?
Despite Bangladesh's routine vaccination program that immunizes children starting at nine months old, health officials reveal that approximately one-third of recent infections involve infants under nine months—those not yet eligible for standard vaccination. The country typically conducts special measles vaccination campaigns every four years, but none have occurred since 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions and subsequent political instability.
Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department, explained to BBC Bangla that a campaign scheduled for April this year failed to materialize. Local media reports indicate procurement issues led to vaccine shortages, though UNICEF notes that measles resurgences typically result from accumulated immunity gaps over time rather than single factors.
Emergency Response Measures
In collaboration with international partners including UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), Bangladesh has launched an emergency vaccination campaign targeting measles and rubella. The initiative, which began on Sunday, will cover 30 sub-districts and aims to reach more than 1.2 million children aged six months to five years.
The campaign will prioritize "children who have missed routine immunisation and are most vulnerable to severe illness and complications," according to UNICEF. Special attention will focus on densely populated areas including Dhaka, the capital, and Cox's Bazar, home to crowded Rohingya refugee camps.
Global Context of Measles Resurgence
Measles remains a highly contagious airborne disease that can cause severe complications and death, particularly in young children. The WHO estimates that 95,000 people died from measles globally in 2024, most under five years old. While global cases have decreased significantly from 38 million in 2000 to 11 million in 2024, health organizations warn of resurgences in regions where vaccination rates have declined.
According to medical journal The Lancet, 2024 and 2025 saw the highest number of measles outbreaks in over two decades, with cases rising in parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. The WHO emphasizes that 95% population vaccination coverage is necessary to prevent disease spread.