Measles, symptoms claim 11 more young lives

Eleven more children died of measles and measles-like symptoms in the past 24 hours until 8:00am on Tuesday, pushing the total death toll to 475 since mid-March.
According to the latest bulletin from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 77 of the fatalities have been laboratory-confirmed as measles cases. Of the total confirmed and suspected deaths, 205 were reported in Dhaka alone.
In the 24-hour period, over 1,300 new suspected and confirmed infections were recorded, raising the cumulative tally to 56,586 suspected cases and 7,929 laboratory-confirmed cases nationwide.
Amid the worsening outbreak ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, the DGHS issued emergency directives suspending all types of leave for government doctors, officials and employees across public health institutions to ensure uninterrupted medical services and vaccine supply.
The order, effective immediately, cites the surge in measles-related pneumonia among children and the urgent need to maintain vaccine delivery through the emergency period.
Private hospitals and healthcare facilities have also been directed to admit and treat measles and suspected measles patients. The DGHS instructed them to establish separate wards or cabins for such patients to prevent cross-infection
Private facilities have also been asked to coordinate with local public health institutions in managing patients.
Citing the Private Medical College and Dental College Act-2021, the DGHS reminded private medical college hospitals that they are legally required to reserve at least 10 per cent of their beds free of charge for poor patients.
Under the new emergency directive, half of those reserved beds must now be allocated specifically for measles and suspected measles cases, it said.
DGHS issued separate instructions to all government health facilities to ensure proper treatment of patients and deploy adequate doctors and health workers in isolation wards, including during holidays.
Hospitals have also been ordered to maintain full services during the Eid holidays from May 25 to May 31. Emergency departments, medicines and ambulance services must remain operational round the clock, while outpatient services cannot remain closed for more than 72 hours at a time.
All private clinics and hospitals have been instructed to keep emergency, maternity and measles wards open 24/7 under registered physicians. Special preparedness measures have also been advised for healthcare facilities near livestock markets.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign on April 5, targeting children aged six months to five years.
Officials said the initial target has already been met, but vaccination efforts are continuing as more children come forward alongside routine immunisation programmes.
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