Protecting Every Child: Nationwide Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign in Bangladesh

The nationwide measles-rubella (MR) campaign comes at a critical moment for Bangladesh. Following the rapid rollout of the initial emergency vaccination efforts in the hardest-hit areas, the next phase entails a campaign to extend measles vaccination countrywide from 20 April, marking the next critical life-saving step. It aims to protect every child across the country, bringing relief and protection from the deadly disease to millions across Bangladesh.  

“UNICEF is working hand in hand with the Government of Bangladesh, supporting planning, community mobilization, cold chain and supply systems, risk communication, and on-the-ground implementation. We acknowledge and thank Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for its critical role in supporting vaccine supply and enabling this life-saving campaign at scale. We are also grateful to the Government of the United States for its valuable support in strengthening and expanding this vaccination effort. 

“The campaign will provide a free dose of the measles-rubella vaccine to all children aged 6 to 59 months, the age group most at risk of infection and severe disease, regardless of their previous vaccination status. It is a simple but powerful intervention to strengthen protection at scale. Vaccination will be delivered mainly through existing EPI sites, with additional evening sessions held in cities to reach children of working parents. Health workers will also offer outreach vaccination to children in preschools, madrasas, hard-to-reach communities, and transport hubs, as well as follow-up in low-coverage areas. Vaccinators will go door-to-door to access children who have missed vaccines and are under-immunized: All with one clear goal: to reach every child and achieve at least 95 percent coverage.    

“Since the emergency campaign began on 05 April, we have seen strong momentum. As of 19 April, close to 1.6 million children, 73 percent of the target group, have already been vaccinated. This is a remarkable effort, and UNICEF applauds the health workers and communities working around the clock. 

“At this stage, the situation still remains concerning. In the last 24 hours alone, 1,197 suspected measles cases were reported, bringing the total to 23,606 suspected cases since 15 March, with three additional deaths reported in the same period. These are not just numbers; they are children, families, and communities under immense strain. 

“What this tells us is very clear: even small gaps in protection can have serious consequences. Measles spreads fast. If children are not fully protected, the virus will find them. And it is always the most vulnerable who suffer first, children who have missed one or both doses of the vaccine, and babies who are still too young to be vaccinated and depend on the protection of those around them. 

“This is why this nationwide campaign is so important. It is not only a response to an outbreak, but it is a chance to close the gaps that have built up over time, to reach every missed child, and to restore strong, community-wide protection. Vaccines save lives. We see it every day in the protection they provide, and we see the cost when coverage slips. 

“One dose of the measles-rubella vaccine provides about 85 per cent protection, and two doses increase that to around 95 per cent. When children miss doses, protection gaps grow silently until outbreaks like this emerge. This campaign is our opportunity to stop that cycle. 

“Together with our partners, and with the tireless work of the health workers across the country, we are helping to ensure vaccines reach every community, including the most remote and underserved. 

“I want to commend the Government of Bangladesh, under the leadership of the Honourable Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, for the urgency and determination shown, first through the rapid emergency response and now through the decision to scale this effort nationwide in such a short time. This is leadership that will save lives. 

“With every preventative vaccine delivered, the country inches closer to stabilizing the current outbreak. The goal is clear: reach more than 17.8 million children, achieve at least 95 percent coverage, and ensure no child is left behind.”