Bangladesh measles outbreak claims lives of seven more children, death toll rises to 488
Dhaka, May 21
As many as seven children died from symptoms similar to measles in Bangladesh in 24 hours till 8 am on Thursday, raising the death toll since March 15 to 488, local media reported.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), four deaths were suspected as measles-related while three were confirmed by laboratory. Among the latest fatalities, the highest number of deaths were reported in Chittagong, leading Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.
Since March 15, Bangladesh has reported 405 suspected measles deaths and 83 confirmed deaths. During the same period, 1,423 new suspected measles cases were reported, raising the total number of suspected infections to 59,279.
During the same period, 208 new confirmed measles cases were reported, taking the total number of confirmed infections to 8,275. According to the report, 46,407 suspected patients have been hospitalised since March 15 while 42,336 patients have been discharged from the hospital after recovery, Dhaka Tribune reported.
As Bangladesh grapples with an escalating measles outbreak, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said that it had repeatedly warned the country's earlier interim government led by Muhammad Yunus - both through written communication and meetings with health ministry officials - about vaccine shortages that could trigger a major health crisis.
Addressing a press briefing in Dhaka, Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative to Bangladesh, said that the UN agency sent five to six letters to the health authorities on the issue and raised the matter in 10 meetings during the tenure of the interim government, Bangladesh's leading newspaper The Daily Star.
"From 2024, we were warning the government that the shortage of vaccines could lead to an outbreak. From 2024 to 2025 into 2026, we sent letters, and we had 10 different meetings signalling this was a problem and that orders for vaccines needed to be given. They could not," The Daily Star quoted Flowers as saying.
According to Flowers, Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, raised concerns over vaccine shortage at a meeting with the foreign ministry during his visit to Bangladesh in August last year.
She added that the UN agency would provide evidence to assist the investigation launched by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party( BNP) led government on the measles outbreak.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a mother, I can't imagine the pain of these families. 😭 It's not just about vaccines but also awareness in rural areas. India's Pulse Polio campaign taught us that door-to-door outreach matters. Bangladesh's interim government dropped the ball, but the new one should prioritise urgent vaccination drives with UNICEF's help.
Tragic that bureaucratic delays cost lives. UNICEF warned in writing repeatedly, but the interim government under Yunus didn't act. This is a failure of leadership. The BNP government must now hold an inquiry and ensure vaccine funding is never politicised again. South Asian nations need stronger health systems.
India should learn from this too. Our measles vaccination rate dropped during COVID and we had outbreaks in some states. We need to strengthen cold chain logistics and community health workers. But for Bangladesh, immediate mass vaccination is the only way. Hope the international community steps up aid. 💉
Respectfully, this is also a lesson for NGOs and UN bodies. If you see a crisis coming through letters and meetings, you must escalate to public advocacy or direct intervention sooner. 488 children died because warnings stayed bureaucratic. Flags must be raised earlier, even if it means ruffling feathers. 🙏
Yet another preventable tragedy in the developing world. The fact that 59,279 suspected infections occurred shows how fast measles spreads without vaccines. In our interconnected world, outbreaks don't stay within borders—India should offer help with vaccines or logistics. Every child's life matters, regardless of nationality.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.