Bangladesh Launches Emergency Vaccines Amid Measles Deaths
Last update: April 6, 2026
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Bangladesh races to contain deadly measles outbreak with emergency campaign.
Bangladesh has launched an emergency vaccination campaign after a fast spreading measles outbreak is suspected of killing more than 100 people, most of them children, in what could be the country’s deadliest wave of the disease in recent years.
The campaign began on Sunday as health officials reported more than 7,500 suspected cases since 15 March, according to data from the health ministry.
Over 900 cases have been confirmed so far, marking a sharp rise compared to 2025, when only 125 measles infections were recorded throughout the entire year, according to local media.
Although Bangladesh has long maintained routine immunization against the highly contagious disease, the latest outbreak has exposed gaps in coverage, raising serious concern among health experts.
Rana Flowers, UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh, said vaccines are fundamental to child survival and warned that the outbreak is placing thousands of children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, at significant risk.
In the country of about 170 million people, children typically receive measles vaccinations starting at nine months of age. However, health officials say roughly one third of those infected in the current outbreak are younger than nine months.
These cases are particularly worrying because infants in that age group are not yet eligible for routine vaccination.
In addition to standard immunization programs, Bangladesh usually conducts nationwide measles vaccination campaigns every four years, but recent efforts have been disrupted.
The country experienced major political upheaval in 2024 when mass anti government protests led to the removal of long time leader Sheikh Hasina. An interim government took over, and a new administration was only elected in February this year.
A planned nationwide measles vaccination drive scheduled for April did not take place, according to health officials.
Authorities have cited procurement problems as a key reason for vaccine shortages, including those for measles. Local reports indicate that the shortages have been linked to changes in the vaccine procurement system introduced under the interim government.
