UNICEF says it warned the government at least 10 times since 2024 over measles vaccine shortage

UNICEF has said Bangladesh faced a prolonged shortage of routine measles vaccines last year despite repeatedly warning the government about the issue.

The UN agency said delays in vaccine supply worsened the situation, even though it had alerted the government at least 10 times since 2024.

The remarks were made at a press conference held at the UNICEF Bangladesh JPG Conference Room in Dhaka on Wednesday.

According to UNICEF, Bangladesh received 1.78 crore doses of measles vaccines between August and November 2025, accounting for only about one-third of the country’s annual demand.

The agency noted that while the country requires nearly seven crore doses every year, routine immunisation activities were disrupted for a long period due to insufficient vaccine supply.

Meanwhile, the measles situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated this year, with a sharp rise in suspected and confirmed infections alongside increasing fatalities.

Six more children died from measles and related complications in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday morning, taking the death toll to more than 480 in just over two months.