Bangladesh Measles Outbreak: Bangladesh is presently witnessing one of its worst outbreaks of measles in recent history. More than 250 people have died and a big majority of the casualties are young children.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns about the viral disease spreading across borders to countries like India and Myanmar.
Bangladesh Measles Outbreak-WHO Statement
WHO has remarked that the outbreak of measles, a highly contagious viral disease, in Bangladesh has already gripped 58 out of 64 districts in the country across all 8 divisions. Till 2024, the country had a high rate of immunization but a drop especially in 2025 made the outbreak deadly.
DON'T MISS
According to several media reports, at least 91 percent of the measles cases were found among children between the age of 1 and 14. It was also revealed that 43 people have died since March 15 in 2026 due to measles while the approximate count of suspected measles deaths is close to 216.
Steps Initiated By Bangladesh Government
The Tarique Rahman-led BNP government is facing a series of challenges to control the alarming situation. It has now launched an emergency vaccination drive to target young children as young as six months old.
Paediatric Medicine and Neonatology Professor Dr Begum Sharifun Naher commented that routine vaccination disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused the outbreak. Naher also noted that supply constraints, lockdowns and vaccine hesitancy during this period caused many families in the country to miss scheduled doses.
On April 20, the Bangladesh government has initiated a nationwide measles-rubella (MR) vaccination drive in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to prioritize high-risk areas.
Paediatric specialist Dr. Samira Islam Nisha who is also the indoor medical officer of Dhaka Medical College commented that misinformation and parental negligence are contributing factors for the Bangladesh measles outbreak.
