Bangladesh Reports 528 Measles Deaths Since Mid-March Outbreak

Bangladesh has recorded 528 suspected measles deaths and more than 60,000 suspected cases since mid-March. Most of the fatalities have occurred among children under age 5. The country previously maintained high measles vaccination coverage through a community-based program.

In 2019, then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed received an award from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for the country's immunization record.

After a change in government in 2024, an interim administration began revising the vaccination system. The revisions produced bureaucratic delays that interrupted vaccine supply and postponed immunization campaigns. Rana Flowers, the UNICEF representative to Bangladesh, said she had warned government officials on at least ten occasions over two years that the delays could create a crisis.

The World Health Organization and Gavi also urged action last year. Dr. Reaz Mobarok, head of the High Dependency and Isolation Unit at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, stated that many children did not receive measles vaccinations during this period.

Dhaka have turned away patients because of overcrowding. Two measles patients sometimes share a single intensive-care bed, and some facilities lack sufficient isolation capacity. Dr. F. A. Asma Khan, superintendent of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Dhaka, said the facility has 100 beds but receives more than 100 patients on most days.

Parents have reported waiting on floor mattresses for treatment. One mother described receiving care for her nine-month-old child in front of an elevator because no regular bed was available. The outbreak has placed additional strain on a health system already affected by recent foreign-aid reductions that ended some community health programs.