Hundreds of children die within months as measles cases soar in Bangladesh

A catastrophic measles outbreak sweeping across Bangladesh has killed hundreds of children in a matter of months, according to health officials and aid organisations on the ground. The surge in cases has placed immense strain on the country's already fragile healthcare infrastructure, with hospitals in Dhaka and other major cities reporting severe shortages of beds, medical supplies, and trained personnel to manage the crisis.

A perfect storm of vulnerability

Bangladesh had made significant progress in recent years toward measles elimination, with vaccination campaigns reaching more than 90 per cent of children nationwide. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption to routine immunisation services, creating a large cohort of unprotected children. When measles began circulating again, it found fertile ground in communities where vaccination coverage had dipped dangerously low. The highly contagious nature of the virus, which can infect up to 90 per cent of unvaccinated people exposed to it, has driven the rapid spread seen across the country.

Children under five years old have been the hardest hit, with malnutrition compounding the severity of the disease. Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of childhood malnutrition in South Asia, and children who are already weakened by poor nutrition are far more likely to develop severe complications from measles, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and severe dehydration. The combination of low immunity and high malnutrition has created a deadly synergy that health workers describe as unprecedented in their experience.

"We are losing children every day to a disease that is entirely preventable with two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. It is a tragedy that should never have happened," said Dr. Fatima Begum, a paediatrician at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Emergency response underway

The Bangladeshi government, supported by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and other international partners, has launched an emergency vaccination campaign targeting millions of children across high-risk districts. Mobile health teams have been deployed to remote and underserved areas where access to healthcare is limited. Temporary treatment centres have been established to manage the overflow of patients, and health workers are being trained in the management of severe measles cases.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain significant. Vaccine supply chains are under pressure, and reaching communities in the vast river delta regions of the country is logistically difficult. Misinformation about vaccines has also been identified as a growing problem, with social media platforms carrying unsubstantiated claims linking the measles vaccine to various health risks. Health authorities are working to counter this with public awareness campaigns emphasising the safety and life-saving importance of vaccination.

Longer-term implications for global health

The outbreak in Bangladesh is part of a broader global trend of resurgent measles, with cases increasing in dozens of countries since 2020. The World Health Organization has warned that the world is facing a perfect storm of declining vaccination rates, weakened health systems, and increased population movement. The situation in Bangladesh serves as a stark reminder that measles, one of the most contagious human diseases known to medicine, can re-emerge with devastating speed when immunisation coverage falls. The international community has called for renewed investment in routine immunisation programmes to prevent similar catastrophes elsewhere.

Source: BBC News — Hundreds of children die within months as measles cases soar in Bangladesh