The Impermanence of Public Health Gains-Lessons Learned from Measles Resurgence, Bangladesh, 2026.

The global resurgence of measles is a major public health concern. After the success of its Expanded Programme on Immunization, Bangladesh experienced a measles resurgence in 2026. The country faced major setbacks after measles vaccination coverage declined because of political instability, discontent among field-level staff, change in procurement policy, COVID-19-related service disruptions, and delayed supplementary immunization campaigns. During March 15-September 13, 2026, Bangladesh reported 170,638 suspected and 20,006 confirmed measles cases, including 919 deaths among suspected and 100 deaths among laboratory-confirmed cases. The outbreak disproportionately affected unvaccinated and underimmunized children. Political turmoil during 2024-2025 disrupted vaccine procurement, delayed mass vaccination campaigns, weakened the health workforce, and compromised financial and logistic continuity. Simultaneously, disruptions in vitamin A supplementation and worsening child malnutrition amplified disease severity. To prevent future resurgence, immunization programs must be depoliticized, supported by buffer vaccine stocks, strengthened through microlevel surveillance, and integrated with nutrition and primary healthcare services.