Dhaka: Bangladesh is struggling to control a fast spreading measles outbreak that has already infected thousands of people and claimed the lives of hundreds of children across the country. The government has now said the crisis became worse because there were no measles vaccine doses available when the present administration came to power earlier this year.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain said the new government inherited a serious shortage of vaccines from the previous administration. According to him, the country’s emergency vaccine reserves had already been exhausted before the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led government assumed office. He said health officials were forced to begin urgent efforts to secure fresh supplies while the disease continued to spread rapidly among children.
The outbreak has become one of the most serious public health emergencies Bangladesh has faced in recent years. Official reports say more than 7,400 confirmed infections have been recorded since March. Authorities also confirmed that around 460 children have died due to complications linked to the disease. Hospitals in several districts are reportedly struggling to handle the growing number of patients arriving every day with fever, rashes and breathing difficulties.
Medical experts warn that the actual number of infections could be much higher than official figures because many cases in rural areas may not have been reported. Public health sources estimate that more than 42,000 suspected measles patients have already been admitted to hospitals nationwide since the outbreak began. Some reports suggest the total number of suspected cases may now have crossed 50,000.
The government has blamed years of declining vaccination coverage for the crisis. Health authorities said routine immunisation programmes weakened after the Covid 19 pandemic disrupted healthcare services across the country. Officials also claimed that nationwide vaccination campaigns became irregular during the later years of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration and continued to suffer under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
The issue has now turned into a major political controversy in Bangladesh. A petition filed before the High Court has demanded an independent investigation into the handling of vaccine procurement and distribution. The petition also asked the court to restrict foreign travel for several former officials until investigations are completed.
International organisations had reportedly warned Bangladesh about the risk of a large outbreak. UNICEF is said to have repeatedly alerted authorities about falling vaccination rates and the urgent need to rebuild vaccine stocks before the disease spread widely among children.
Bangladesh was once recognised globally for its strong vaccination programmes. Large scale measles and rubella campaigns conducted nearly a decade ago successfully reached millions of children across the country. Health experts say those earlier achievements helped Bangladesh reduce major outbreaks for many years.
Now the government is trying to regain control of the situation through emergency vaccination drives. Special immunisation campaigns are being carried out in high risk districts with support from UNICEF and other health agencies. Authorities are focusing mainly on children between six months and five years old, who are considered most vulnerable to severe infection.
Doctors continue to urge parents to vaccinate their children as quickly as possible. Public health specialists say measles spreads extremely easily, especially in crowded neighbourhoods and among children who have not received full vaccine protection.
Hospitals remain on alert as health workers race to contain the outbreak and prevent further loss of life.