Prime Minister’s adviser Zahed Ur Rahman has said that a committee of international experts will be formed to investigate why measles vaccines were not administered to children on time.
“If anyone is found responsible, punitive action will be taken,” he told reporters at the weekly government briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
When asked about emergency over measles situation in the country, he replied that the government has no plan to declare an emergency over measles.
Bangladesh’s measles outbreak has escalated into a full-blown epidemic, contradicting the government’s repeated assurances of a quick resolution.
On 17 April, Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain claimed that the crisis would be “under control within a week”, but the situation on the ground tells a different story.
Data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) show that more than 1,000 new cases are being reported daily.
Health officials continue to highlight ongoing vaccination efforts and say the situation will improve in the coming weeks. However, public health experts argue that the outbreak has already reached epidemic proportions, citing delayed action, weak coordination and long-standing gaps in the health system. Despite repeated calls, a public health emergency has not been declared.
