Bangladesh Launches Emergency Measles Vaccination Drive as Deaths Rise
Bangladesh Launches Emergency Measles Vaccination Drive as Deaths Rise
Emergency vaccination targets over a million children in Dhaka and high-risk areas as measles deaths surge, backed by UNICEF, WHO and Gavi.
Bangladesh has launched an emergency vaccination campaign targeting more than one million children after the country recorded the highest measles deaths in two decades. Between 15 March and 4 April, officials say 98 children died from suspected measles, with 17 confirmed fatalities. Measles is highly contagious and typically requires about 95 percent of the population to be vaccinated to prevent spread. Gaps in routine immunisation, exacerbated by socio-political instability, have contributed to the surge.
The drive, led by the health ministry with support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization and global vaccine alliance Gavi, began on Sunday and will roll out in high-risk areas across 18 districts before spreading nationwide on May 3. In Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, authorities aim to ensure high coverage in densely populated settings, prioritising children aged six months to five years who missed routine immunisation and face the highest risk of severe complications. The government has lowered the vaccination age to six months from nine and plans a nationwide immunisation campaign.
The last nationwide measles vaccination campaign was in 2020, and a planned follow-up in 2024 was shelved due to political unrest. The current campaign underscores the country’s focus on restoring immunity to prevent further fatalities and curb potential outbreaks, especially in crowded urban and refugee settings where transmission can be rapid.
