Summary
Bangladesh is facing a severe outbreak of measles that has resulted in over 100 deaths, mostly among children, since March 15. To address this, Bangladesh started an emergency vaccination campaign targeting over 1.2 million children. The outbreak exposed gaps in the country's vaccination efforts, especially impacting children under nine months who are not eligible for routine vaccines.
Key Facts
- Since March 15, over 100 children have died due to a suspected measles outbreak in Bangladesh.
- Bangladesh launched an emergency vaccination campaign on Sunday to combat the outbreak.
- More than 7,500 suspected measles cases have been reported, with over 900 confirmed cases.
- The outbreak has highlighted gaps in the routine vaccination program, especially for infants under nine months old.
- The last special measles vaccination campaign was delayed due to Covid and political issues since 2020.
- An interim government was in place after political changes in 2024, affecting vaccine procurement.
- The current campaign targets over 1.2 million children between six months and five years old.
- The effort is assisted by international partners like UNICEF and WHO, focusing on high-risk areas like Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar.
