Dhaka, May 20 (V7N) — UNICEF has said that repeated warnings about an impending measles vaccine shortage were sent to Bangladesh’s health authorities during the interim government period, but delays in procurement contributed to disruptions in routine immunization and a subsequent outbreak.
The disclosure was made at a press conference titled “Measles Outbreak and Ongoing Situation Response” held on Wednesday (May 20) at the UNICEF Bangladesh office in Dhaka. UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Rana Flowers spoke at the event.
According to UNICEF, the agency had sent at least five formal letters to the Ministry of Health and held around 10 meetings with government officials, warning of a potential vaccine supply crisis.
The organization said Bangladesh received 17.8 million doses of measles vaccine between August and November last year—only about one-third of the country’s annual requirement. UNICEF estimates that Bangladesh needs around 70 million doses each year to sustain full immunization coverage.
The agency added that prolonged disruptions in the routine immunization program left many children unvaccinated, significantly increasing the risk of measles outbreaks nationwide.
UNICEF stressed that the shortage was not caused by funding constraints but by delays in procurement and administrative bottlenecks that prevented timely vaccine acquisition.
However, the agency also noted that the situation is now improving. Rana Flowers said that more than 18 million children have recently received measles vaccinations and added that the outbreak is now “under control.”
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