Health Authorities Urge Prompt Vaccination Amid Growing Measles Crisis

Dhaka, July 11 – With the measles outbreak claiming three more child lives over the weekend, Bangladesh’s health ministry has intensified its call for rapid vaccination of all eligible children.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) listed the three recent deaths as suspected measles incidents, adding to a total of 753 fatalities.

Suspected measles deaths now number 660, while the count of laboratory‑confirmed measles deaths remains at 93.

In the past day, 702 new suspected measles cases were identified, raising the national suspected case total to 110,601.

Laboratory testing confirmed an additional 84 cases, pushing the confirmed case figure to 13,410.

Since March 15, a total of 93,491 patients showing measles‑like symptoms have been admitted, with 89,762 successfully treated and released.

Officials stress the importance of completing the measles vaccine schedule on time, especially for children under five, who are most susceptible to severe outcomes.

A concurrent report attributes the surge to adverse conditions such as malnutrition, shortages in primary health services, delayed treatment seeking, and escalating healthcare costs. Measles, now a major public‑health threat, combines with pneumonia—responsible for roughly 24,000 under‑five deaths each year—to create a deadly duo, particularly for malnourished children.

Vaccination coverage for children aged 12‑23 months slipped from 83.9% in 2019 to 81.6% in 2023, with urban areas lagging at 79% compared to 84.6% in rural districts. The ministry urges parents to act quickly and seek medical care at the first sign of measles symptoms.