Over 500 Bangladeshi children reported dead from measles epidemic

Bangladesh Reports High Number of Measles-Related Deaths Among Children

A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has resulted in over 500 child deaths, according to a health department tally. As of Saturday, the total number of fatalities had increased to 512 since the outbreak began on March 15. Thirteen children died in the past 24 hours alone, contributing to the rising death toll.

Hospitals in Dhaka, which have been overwhelmed with cases, have established dedicated wards for measles patients. However, these facilities lack sufficient intensive care beds. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through coughs and sneezes, primarily affecting children and causing severe complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.

The South Asian nation has implemented a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 18 million children have been vaccinated so far. However, health officials stated that the full impact of the vaccinations will take months to be felt.

Gaps in immunization worsened during and after the 2024 student-led uprising, leaving many children unprotected. The health department’s death toll comes as the government announced a decline in cases in several previously hard-hit areas. Most cases recorded during the current outbreak have been among children aged six months to five years.

Doctors reported that many of the children arriving at hospitals were already critically ill. “A healthy baby with no complications can survive with minimal medication,” said Dr. Ainul Islam Khan, a paediatrician at Dhaka’s Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital. The World Health Organization has emphasized the need to boost vaccination programs and increase funding for health facilities, surveillance, and data systems in the future.

A policy brief published by the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership warned that vaccination gaps could worsen antimicrobial resistance in Bangladesh.

Source: Al Jazeera