Bangladesh: Bangladesh launched a special vaccination campaign for measles this week amid a surge in cases and dozens of deaths, an official said Tuesday. At least 128 children have died of measles-like symptoms since March 15, the country's health service said in a bulletin on Tuesday, with at least 11 more deaths reported recently.
According to Anadolu Agency, since March 15, more than 9,800 suspected cases have been reported in the South Asian nation, with over 1,200 cases reported on Tuesday alone, the health service said. Dr. Zahid Raihan, additional director general of the health service, told Anadolu that the government launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Sunday, targeting 18 of the most affected districts.
Dr. Raihan stated that herd immunity in the country has declined due to gaps and disruptions in vaccination campaigns. He assured that the government is now fully prepared to handle the surge in infections and expressed optimism that the situation may begin to stabilize soon, noting a decline in the death rate compared to previous days.
Benazir Ahmed, a health expert, described the situation as an epidemic during his conversation with Anadolu. He mentioned that hospitals are overwhelmed with new patients arriving continuously. He emphasized the necessity of a large-scale vaccination campaign, attributing the outbreak to poor vaccination coverage over the past few years.
Measles, a highly contagious viral disease, primarily affects children and can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death, particularly among malnourished or unvaccinated children. It remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable child mortality globally.
Newly appointed Health Minister Sardar Mohammed Sakhawat Husain addressed parliament on Monday, highlighting that vaccination mismanagement during both the Sheikh Hasina government and the interim government has contributed to the current crisis. He noted that the major vaccination campaign scheduled for 2024 was missed due to political instability in the country.