Measles vaccine shortage: UNICEF says it warned govt repeatedly since 2024

UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Rana Flowers has said the organisation had repeatedly warned the government since 2024 that a vaccine shortage could lead to a major measles outbreak in the country.

“From 2024, we were warning the government about the outbreak...From 2024 across 2025 into 2026, we sent letters, and we had 10 different meetings, signalling this was a problem and that the order for the vaccines needed to be given,” she said on Wednesday.

“…the reason I would say they could not go for open bidding at that point is because open bidding, we know, takes at least a year,” Rana said.

Speaking at a press conference titled “Press Conference on Measles Outbreak Situation and Ongoing Response Efforts” held at the UNICEF Bangladesh’s JPG Conference Room in the capital, she said UNICEF raised the issue several times through official letters and meetings with the authorities.

Rana said that delays in vaccine procurement through open bidding contributed to the crisis as such a process usually takes at least a year.

“The actual notification of the outbreak comes from the health system,” she said, adding that UNICEF had consistently warned authorities that there was not enough time to follow lengthy procurement procedures while the country was already facing vaccine shortages.

Despite the crisis, Rana said Bangladesh has now achieved a major milestone by vaccinating around 18 million children against measles.

“The good news is that 18 million children have been reached with the measles vaccination. The spread of measles is now contained,” she added.