1m measles vaccines kept in reserve for emergencies: Health minister

The government has set a target to vaccinate another 3.4 million children who were missed during the nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign earlier this year, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said today (26 September).

The minister made the announcement at the inauguration of the Nationwide Special Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign 2026 at the T&T Playground in Karail, Mohakhali this morning.

So far, around 18.5 million children have been vaccinated under a three-phase programme launched on 5 April, with the nationwide campaign intensified from 20 April, he said.

The special vaccination programme for children aged six to 59 months will continue until 31 October. Another 1 million vaccine doses have been kept in reserve for emergency use, while vaccination will also continue under the routine immunisation programme, said the minister.

He said the country had to bear the consequences of the previous government's negligence, including the failure to effectively operate the routine immunisation programme from December 2020 to April 2026 and delays in importing vaccines from abroad under the open tender system. More than 1,000 children have so far died of measles and suspected measles cases.

"The death of every child is extremely painful for the government and, at the same time, a matter of shame," he said.

He also attributed many child deaths to negligence and delays in the measles vaccination programme over four years during the Awami League government and the subsequent interim government.

After taking office, the current government took prompt measures to implement a large-scale nationwide vaccination programme, the minister said.