Dhaka, May 4 -- Stopgap Shock: Escalating Outbreak

Two-decade high: With 280 deaths in six weeks, this surge is the deadliest in 20 years. 38,000 suspected cases have forced the WHO to label the national situation as "high risk".

Critical stockouts: Central stores have run out of measles-rubella and polio jabs. Procurement delays and political instability have created a fragile gap in life-saving supplies.

Prevention gap: Scrapped immunisation campaigns in 2020 and 2024 have left millions vulnerable. Experts blame these skipped cycles and routine failures for the current epidemic.

Advice sidelined: Formal recommendations are being ignored or delayed. Experts warn that a refusal to declare a public health emergency has resulted in a di...