Bangladesh’s Silent Catastrophe: Measles Outbreak Kills Over 500 Children, Spurs Massive Vaccination Drive

Since mid-March, Bangladesh has tallied more than 60,000 suspected cases and 528 suspected measles-related deaths, with the vast majority of victims being children under age 5. On one day alone, May 4, 17 children died, and daily new suspected cases often top 1,000.

Measles is a highly contagious but preventable disease. The country’s vaccination system had once been a model, with then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina receiving a Vaccine Hero Award from Gavi in 2019. But after an interim government came to power, the system was revamped, and vaccine supplies were disrupted. UNICEF’s representative to Bangladesh, Rana Flowers, said she repeatedly warned the government over two years that delays could trigger a crisis.

A preventable tragedy

Flowers recounted sitting with interim officials at least 10 times, saying, 'We are worried. You’re going to face a mountain.' The warnings proved prescient. By late May, the death count had climbed to 528.

The impact on families is devastating. Miftahul Zannat, a two-year-old, developed classic measles symptoms including fever, rash, vomiting, and diarrhea. Her father, Mohammad Kamal, said, 'Once she fell ill, she became completely bedridden. She couldn’t even open her eyes.'

Kamal works as a cook in his village. He said his family had struggled to provide enough food, and Miftahul was among the many malnourished children in Bangladesh — one in four children under five are stunted — who are especially vulnerable to the virus. The death rate from measles in Bangladesh is around 1%, compared to 0.1% to 0.3% in the United States.

As cases soared, hospitals buckled. Dr. Asma Khan, superintendent of the Infectious Diseases Hospital, said her facility has only 100 beds but receives more than 100 patients almost every day. 'Parents are sitting outside the [child hospital] wards just helpless, not knowing what to do,' said IRC’s Rahman.

Overwhelmed hospitals

At Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, the country’s largest children’s hospital, staff converted offices to make room for patients. 'We said to the doctors: "You will sit in other places if you need to sit and discuss something,"' said Dr. Mobarok, the hospital’s head of the High Dependency and Isolation Unit.

To get treatment, some families lie on the floor. Mim Akhter, whose nine-month-old son developed measles, spoke while receiving care on the hospital floor. 'To get the treatment, we have to lie down here on the floor,' she said. The baby received oxygen and fluids because there is no specific treatment for measles.

The economic toll adds to the misery. Mohammad Kamal Hossain, a rickshaw driver earning about $4 a day, has been unable to work for 20 days while caring for his nine-month-old daughter. He has spent $160 to reach the capital and must pay daily food and other expenses. 'My elder kid is studying in ninth grade and now I don’t know how I will pay her tuition fees this month because I am already in debt,' he said.

The new government, elected in February, launched an enormous measles vaccination campaign on April 5. Officials say they have already vaccinated approximately 18 million children. 'Their next priority is tracking down any children missed in the mass campaign to ensure no child is left behind,' said a health official.

A vaccination campaign gains speed

The campaign has drawn praise. UNICEF’s Flowers said, 'For that, I am very grateful.' Meanwhile, hospitals have been instructed to open isolation units, and affected children are receiving Vitamin A capsules. 'Vitamin A therapy can actually significantly reduce the risk of death from measles,' explained a medical expert.

Despite the government’s push, some frustration remains. 'It may take a month or more before you start really seeing an impact [of the vaccination campaign],' said Dr. Mobarok. The crisis, he noted, feels very different from past outbreaks because international help has been limited. 'We are not getting much help,' he said.

The situation has been compounded by foreign aid cuts that hit global health over the past year. IRC’s Rahman said that the buckling health system and lack of resources have created heartbreaking scenes of families turned away from full wards.

Worldwide, measles remains a deadly threat. In 2024, nearly 100,000 people died of the disease. The outbreak in Bangladesh underscores the critical importance of sustained vaccination programs and strong health systems.

Global context and the road ahead

For many parents, the crisis is a race against time. Rizvi Ahmed Raihan, a nine-month-old, was recently discharged after five days of care. But for others like Miftahul Zannat, the outcome remains uncertain. Her father Kamal, after finding care in a third hospital, is worried about her condition. 'My child was cheerful, loved to play, run, and smile,' he said. 'After getting infected with measles, she became silent, not eating food, and had no smile on her face.'

Health workers and officials continue to push forward. Dr. Mobarok and his colleagues are working around the clock, noting that the crisis was entirely preventable. 'The interim government did not bother about vaccination at all, so many children were not vaccinated for measles,' he said.

As the vaccination campaign intensifies and aid organizations rally, there is cautious hope that the outbreak can be brought under control, though the pain of lost lives and strained families will endure.