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Measles Ravages Bangladesh: 17 Children Die in One Day
4 May
Summary
- Bangladesh recorded 17 child deaths in one day due to measles.
- Over 300 children have died from measles in the last 50 days.
- Vaccine shortages are blamed for the resurgence of the disease.
Bangladesh has recorded a devastating single-day death toll of 17 children due to a rapidly spreading measles outbreak, marking a critical point in the ongoing health crisis. This alarming figure brings the total number of child deaths from the disease to over 300 in the past 50 days. Health authorities reported 1,456 new admissions with measles symptoms, highlighting the scale of the epidemic.
The World Health Organization has identified the outbreak as a "high" national risk, emphasizing the urgent need to address significant "immunity gaps." The current measles surge is largely attributed to a catastrophic breakdown in vaccine procurement that began following the country's 2024 revolution, leading to nationwide shortages and a failure in vaccination systems.
Historically, Bangladesh was recognized for its success in controlling measles, achieving its elimination goals between 2000 and 2019 with high vaccination coverage. However, vaccine stockouts in 2024-2025 under the interim government led to the current crisis. The government launched an emergency vaccination campaign on April 20 to immunize approximately 1.8 crore children aged 6 months to under 5 years, aiming to close these critical immunity gaps.
