Dhaka, July 26 (IANS). The outbreak of measles is becoming increasingly serious in Bangladesh. Four more children with measles-like symptoms died in the last 24 hours as of 8 am (local time) on Sunday. With this, the total number of confirmed and suspected deaths related to measles in the country has increased to 820.
According to local media, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has categorized these four deaths as suspected measles deaths. The latest figures bring the number of suspected deaths to 725, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains stable at 95.
990 new suspected measles cases have been reported across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of suspected cases to 1,23,753. At the same time, 170 new confirmed cases were registered during the same period, after which the total number of laboratory confirmed infected people has reached 15,442.
According to DGHS, 1,06,239 patients suspected of measles have been admitted to hospital since March 15. Of these, 1,02,467 patients have returned home after recovery.
Amid the growing public health crisis, reports say that on an average, about four children are dying every day due to measles in Bangladesh and more than 800 patients are being admitted to hospitals every day. Although the government claims that it has exceeded the target of the emergency vaccination campaign, a large number of patients who have not been vaccinated are still reaching hospitals. This is exposing the shortcomings of the vaccination campaign.
The situation remained critical even during the first three weeks of July. An average of 1,005 suspected and confirmed cases, 821 hospitalizations and about four deaths were recorded per day during this period.
Mahmudur Rahman, chairman of the National Verification Committee for Measles and Rubella Elimination, said that even two months after the start of the vaccination campaign, the situation has not improved as expected and it seems that the authorities are not fully understanding its seriousness.
According to health experts, the outbreak has persisted due to nearly 40 lakh children being left out of vaccination, the spread of infection among children above the target age limit of the campaign, and weak infection control measures.
Former disease control director and health expert Be-Nazir Ahmed said that the difference of about 40 lakh children in the figures of measles-rubella vaccination and Vitamin-A campaign is very shocking. According to him, it is clear that the target of vaccination was not set high enough. He said that due to weak planning and lack of public awareness, a large number of families were deprived of information about the revised vaccination programme, the impact of which is now becoming visible.
–IANS
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