Bangladesh’s Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul has said that measles vaccines have not been administered in the country for the past eight years. He made the statement amid a rise in measles cases, announcing that the government has allocated 6.04 billion taka to purchase new vaccines. The minister spoke to reporters on Sunday at the inauguration of the International Pharmaceutical Industry Fair at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

According to the minister, the last government-administered measles vaccination took place eight years ago, and since then no new doses were provided. He said the purchase committee has approved the allocation, and vaccines will be collected and distributed in due time. Measles cases have recently increased, with infections detected in Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar in early January and later spreading to slum areas in Dhaka.

Following reports of child deaths due to lack of ICU space at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, the government received five donated ventilators. The minister added that more than 12 additional ventilators will soon be supplied to support the Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s efforts against the outbreak.