Bangladesh rolls out emergency measles vaccination drive as child deaths surge

Bangladesh launched a special vaccination campaign for measles this week amid a surge in cases and dozens of deaths, an official said Tuesday.

At least 128 children have died of measles-like symptoms since March 15, the country's health service said in a bulletin on Tuesday, with at least 11 more deaths reported recently.

Since March 15, more than 9,800 suspected cases have been reported in the South Asian nation, with over 1,200 cases reported on Tuesday alone, the health service said.

Dr. Zahid Raihan, additional director general of the health service, told Anadolu that the government launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Sunday, targeting 18 of the most affected districts.

“These are children. Herd immunity in the country has declined due to gaps and disruptions in vaccination campaigns. However, the government is now fully prepared to deal with the surge in infections,” he said.

The situation may begin to stabilize soon, as the death rate has declined compared to previous days, he added.

Benazir Ahmed, a health expert, told Anadolu that the situation has turned into an epidemic.

"Hospitals are overwhelmed and new patients are arriving. The government has canceled leave for health staff. It is now an epidemic,” he said.

He stressed the need for a large-scale vaccination campaign, saying that the situation has emerged due to poor vaccination coverage over the past few years.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children and can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, particularly among malnourished or unvaccinated children. It remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable child mortality globally.

Newly appointed Health Minister Sardar Mohammed Sakhawat Husain on Monday told parliament that vaccination mismanagement during both the Sheikh Hasina government and the interim government contributed to the current crisis.

The major vaccination campaign that takes place every four years was missed in 2024 amid political instability in the country.