No measles vaccine administered in 8 Years: Health Minister

Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul has said that the country has not administered measles vaccines in the past eight years.

He made the remarks during a briefing at the Bangladesh China Friendship conference centre on Sunday (March 29).

“The number of measles patients has increased significantly. The last vaccination campaign was eight years ago, and no government since then has provided the vaccine,” the minister said.

Addressing the outbreak, the minister said that the current government has allocated Tk 604 crore to procure new vaccines, with the procurement committee’s approval already completed.

"Vaccination will begin as soon as the doses are available," he added.

The first patient was reported on January 4 in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, followed by warnings issued on January 10. Cases have also increased in Dhaka’s urban slums.

Meanwhile, health experts recommend the first measles dose at nine months and the second at 15 months, with special campaigns covering children aged 9 months to 10 years. While earlier vaccination programmes had reduced measles incidence, new cases have started rising this year.

Hospitals, including the Infectious Disease Hospital, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, and Dhaka Medical College Hospital, have been equipped with ICU and ventilator facilities. Preparations have also been made in Manikganj and northern districts.

Following recent child deaths due to ICU shortages at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, the government has received five new ventilators, four of which will be sent to Rajshahi.

Moreover, pharmaceutical companies are expected to supply more than 12 additional ventilators soon, strengthening the healthcare system against infectious diseases like measles.