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Bangladesh Launches Emergency Measles Vaccination Campaign After 98 Suspected Child Deaths
Bangladesh has initiated an emergency vaccination drive targeting over one million children following 98 suspected measles deaths among children between March 15 and April 4. The campaign, supported by UNICEF, WHO, and Gavi, prioritizes high-risk areas in 18 districts and will expand nationwide on May 3.
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Health officials link the rise in cases to gaps in immunization programs, including long intervals between special drives due to socio-political instability. Bangladesh's last nationwide measles vaccination campaign occurred in 2020, and a planned follow-up in 2024 was reportedly affected amid political unrest.
The unrest followed anti-government protests in 2024 that led to the resignation and flight of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
Hospitals in high-burden regions report overcrowding and limited capacity. Measles, a highly infectious viral disease, spreads through respiratory droplets and requires 95 percent population vaccination to prevent outbreaks, according to WHO estimates.
Symptoms typically begin with cold-like signs, followed by a rash starting on the face and spreading across the body as raised, blotchy patches. The disease has resurged globally as vaccination rates decline in some areas.
Health officials have noted that previous administrations may have contributed to immunization gaps.
“UNICEF is deeply concerned about the sharp rise in measles cases across Bangladesh.”
Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Disease Control, noted that the number of affected children and deaths is higher than in past years, attributing the outbreak to multifactorial causes including vaccine shortages. The Independent reported that efforts in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar will be intensified to achieve high coverage in densely populated, high-risk areas.
