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Biman Mukherji

The measles outbreak in Bangladesh is one of its deadliest health crises in decades, and experts are warning that the lack of measures to increase vaccinations and enhance immunisation across the country could lead to a further spike in cases.
There have been over 60,000 suspected cases of measles, and nearly 600 people have died from the disease since mid-March, according to media reports.
The outbreak has been particularly severe among malnourished children and communities with limited access to health services.
Local health officials have partnered with their UN counterparts to launch an emergency response to combat measles. However, gaps in vaccination coverage, with an interim administration in power until February, have raised concerns that the disease could spread further.
Health experts say the surge is due to local authorities not prioritising the elimination of measles, with the highly contagious disease largely preventable through two vaccine doses as recommended by the World Health Organization.
According to a report on the measles situation in Bangladesh by the WHO in April, the disease can affect individuals of all ages and is a leading cause of death among young children around the world.
A usually “mild or moderately severe disease”, measles could, however, cause complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, blindness, and death, the WHO said.
The risk at the regional level was “high”, the WHO added, warning that the disease could spread in Bangladesh and internationally through travel, particularly among “unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated” travellers.

Priyajit Debsarkar, a London-based analyst, said there was a risk of the disease spreading beyond the borders of Bangladesh, given its huge diaspora, which numbers up to 15 million around the world.
“They not only cross into neighbouring countries like India, but also inside Asia and Europe. There is a very high risk of this virus spreading and reaching other corners of the world,” he said.
A change in procedures for vaccine purchases by the interim government in Dhaka, which took over after the 2024 downfall of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the country’s weak economic situation had led to delays and depleted stockpiles, Debsarkar said.
Muhammad Millat, former senior vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Medical Research Council, said that despite Unicef’s repeated warnings to the country’s interim administration about growing immunity gaps and the risk of a major outbreak, local authorities had not done enough to tackle the problem.
“Experienced immunisation professionals were not fully engaged in key decision-making processes, and authorities reportedly departed from established procurement mechanisms in favour of alternative approaches,” he said.
The WHO noted in its April report that before the measles outbreak, Bangladesh had made significant improvements towards eliminating the disease, but the spate of cases suggested that there had been “a reversal”.
“Continued spread is likely unless urgent measures are implemented to strengthen surveillance, rapidly detect and respond to cases, and close immunity gaps through high-quality vaccination activities,” it added.

Millat said delays by the authorities had hindered the timely procurement and deployment of vaccines at a critical period. He cited the nationwide campaign to combat measles and rubella planned for 2024, which could not be conducted due to political turmoil.
Dhaka should revive its nationwide vaccination campaign, focusing on underserved urban settlements, remote communities, and refugee areas, tighten surveillance of cases and give vitamin supplements to residents, particularly for young children, Millat said.
“Bangladesh should focus on rapidly closing immunity gaps while strengthening routine immunisation,” he added.
Amir Ullah Khan, a member of the Indian state of Telangana’s Public Service Commission, said that the authorities should tackle malnutrition as part of the steps to contain measles and other diseases. Bangladesh needed to stock sufficient vaccines across age groups, he added.
“That is the first big thing that has to be done. Most of the very poor are not able to understand the severity of the disease and have to be incentivised in terms of cash or easy transport to vaccination centres.”


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Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Children suffering from measles receive treatment at a hospital in Dhaka amid the disease’s outbreak in Bangladesh. Photo: dpa

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Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March


Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.


Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March