'No need to probe measles vaccine shortage, responsibility lies with interim government'

The reason for the ongoing measles vaccine shortage in the country is already clear, said Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Health Dr. SM Ziauddin Haider. According to him, there is no need for any new investigation in this regard, because the reason behind the vaccine shortage is known to everyone.

While talking to reporters at his office at the Secretariat on Sunday (June 21), he said that the measles vaccine shortage is mainly the result of some decisions taken during the interim government. Especially due to changes in vaccine procurement and financing management, it was not possible to purchase the required vaccine on time.

Ziauddin Haider said that measles vaccination programs are usually conducted at the national level every four years. Although such a vaccination program was supposed to be held between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, it was not implemented. He claimed that the then administration decided to cancel the existing operational plan and conduct the program under the Development Project (DPP) framework. But due to the lack of necessary funding through the DPP, vaccines could not be procured on time.

He said that a large number of children have been deprived of the opportunity to receive measles vaccination due to the cancellation of the scheduled vaccination program. Most of the children currently infected with measles were born between 2023 and 2025 and could not be covered by the regular vaccination program.

According to health sector stakeholders, the impact of the long-term vaccine shortage and failure to implement the scheduled program has now become clear in the measles outbreak across the country. Hundreds of deaths, both confirmed and suspected, have already occurred, which has become a major concern for the public health system.

Responding to a question whether the government will conduct an investigation into the vaccine shortage, Ziauddin Haider said that the reasons for the situation are so clear that there is no need for a separate investigation. The source of the problem has been identified, the most important thing now is to ensure rapid vaccine supply and take effective measures to avoid such situations in the future.