Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has attributed recent measles-related deaths among children to a four-year delay and negligence in the vaccination program during previous administrations. According to the minister, nearly 18.5 million children have been affected by the outbreak, with approximately 1,000 fatalities reported so far.

Speaking at the launch of the second phase of a national measles vaccination campaign, Husain emphasized the urgency of addressing the crisis. The current campaign targets 3.4 million children and aims to curb further illness and deaths by increasing immunization coverage.

The minister described the loss of young lives as deeply painful and shameful, underscoring the responsibility of current authorities to implement prompt and effective measures. He highlighted that the expanded vaccination drive is critical to safeguarding children’s health across the country.

Officials hope that the intensified efforts will reverse the spread of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that has re-emerged due to gaps in immunization. The initiative reflects a renewed commitment to child health and disease prevention after the setbacks attributed to previous policy lapses.