UNICEF Bangladesh has said it repeatedly warned the interim government about a shortage of measles vaccines that could potentially lead to an outbreak.
Speaking at a press briefing at UNICEF’s Dhaka office, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh Rana Flowers said the agency sent five to six letters to health authorities and held around 10 meetings with health ministry officials during the interim government’s tenure regarding the issue.
She said that since 2024, UNICEF had been alerting authorities that the vaccine shortage could result in an outbreak. According to her, from 2024 through 2025 and into 2026, repeated communications were made urging timely vaccine procurement.
Flowers also noted that UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban had raised the issue during a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his visit to Bangladesh last year.
She added that the shortage was not due to a lack of funding, as budget allocations had already been made by the Ministry of Finance. Instead, she said delays in procurement decisions caused the disruption, which she said may now be subject to further investigation.
