Dhaka, May 11 (IANS) Measles continues to wreak havoc in Bangladesh. Eleven more people have died due to measles and symptoms similar to it. With this, the total number of confirmed and suspected deaths related to this outbreak has increased to 409.
Local media quoted the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) as saying that this number of deaths was recorded in the last 24 hours till Sunday.
DGHS said that it has been confirmed that the deaths of four people were due to measles. With this, the total number of confirmed deaths due to measles since March 15 reached 65. At the same time, seven other deaths were related to suspected cases, due to which the death toll increased to 344.
According to Bangladeshi newspaper ‘Dhaka Tribune’, 1,503 new suspected measles patients were reported in the same 24-hour period, taking the total number of suspected cases since March 15 to 49,159. Of these, 205 cases were confirmed to be measles, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6,819.
According to reports, 34,909 patients with measles symptoms have been admitted to hospitals since March 15.
A report described the outbreak as an “avoidable crisis” after more than 400 people have died in Bangladesh since mid-March. The report demanded accountability from the former interim government, which was led by Muhammad Yunus. The allegation is that the government ended an effective vaccine procurement system without preparing an alternative system.
“Measles vaccination coverage in Bangladesh grew steadily for two decades and had become an international model for low-income countries. But the negligence of the previous interim government undone this achievement,” an editorial published in ‘The Daily Star’ said.
According to the report, the ‘Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Programme’, implemented since 1998, was to be terminated in March 2025 without any proper alternative plan.
The report said the vaccine procurement process came to a standstill during the interim government’s tenure, drug supplies to more than 14,000 community clinics dwindled, and emergency stockpiles were depleted, further exacerbating the situation.
Criticizing the interim government, the report said, “The lack of accountability demands an investigative committee with the power to determine individual responsibility. The deaths of children are extremely tragic. Those who ended this program will have to answer for each death.”
–IANS
kr/
