Health Minister blames vaccination delay for hundreds of child deaths

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has blamed a four-year delay and alleged negligence in measles vaccination efforts under the previous government and the interim administration for the deaths of hundreds of children.

He made the remarks on Saturday (September 26) while inaugurating the second phase of a nationwide measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign at the Korail TNT playground in Banani.

Sakhawat said the vaccination programme remained suspended from December 2020 to April 2026, while delays in importing vaccines further hampered efforts to contain measles.

“The nation has had to pay the price for this negligence and delay. Many mothers have lost their children,” he said.

The minister said around 1,000 children had died after contracting measles among roughly 18.5 million children targeted under the vaccination programme, calling every child’s death “a matter of immense pain and shame for the government.”

The government launched vaccination drives in phases from April 5 after taking office, and around 18.5 million children have since been vaccinated, he said.

The latest catch-up campaign targets about 3.4 million children aged six months to below five years who were missed during the earlier campaign. It will continue until October 31.