On Tuesday, the health minister claimed that the measles outbreak in the country has begun to ease, even as the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported 11 child deaths with measles symptoms over the past 24 hours.
Speaking at a World Health Day event in Dhaka on Tuesday morning, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bakul made the statement. Later in the day, the DGHS released updated statistics on measles cases and fatalities.
According to a notice from the DGHS Integrated Control Centre, between 8am Monday and 8am Tuesday, 11 children died exhibiting measles symptoms, of whom one death was confirmed by laboratory tests. During the same period, 1,236 new suspected measles cases were recorded.
Since 15 March, a total of 128 deaths with measles-like symptoms have been reported, with laboratory confirmation in 21 cases. The cumulative number of suspected cases now stands at 9,883, with 1,398 confirmed through lab tests.
Dhaka division recorded the highest number of new infections, with 499 cases, followed by Rajshahi with 225 and Chattogram with 175. Dhaka also recorded the highest fatalities, with eight deaths in the past 24 hours. Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet divisions each reported one death.
Hospitals across the country admitted 641 new patients with measles-like symptoms over the past 24 hours, while 585 recovered patients were discharged. So far, 4,635 patients have recovered. The DGHS said it is working intensively to control the situation and advised the public to remain vigilant.
At the World Health Day event at Abu Saeed Convention Centre in Dhaka, the minister said, “By Allah’s mercy, the spread of measles is gradually declining, and vaccination efforts continue.”
The vaccination campaign, jointly led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, began on 5 April in 30 sub-districts of 18 high-risk districts. On the first day, 76,000 children were vaccinated, achieving nearly 96% coverage, the minister claimed.
He also alleged that previous governments had failed to properly distribute vaccines, stating, “Even vaccines available after 2020 were not administered effectively, which contributed to the outbreak reaching epidemic levels.”
Despite the ongoing presence of measles, the minister said, the situation has largely been brought under control under the “dynamic and prudent leadership of the prime minister.” The minister announced that the vaccination programme will start in Dhaka North and South, Mymensingh, and
Barishal City Corporations from 12 April and will expand nationwide from 3 May. Highlighting procurement challenges in the health sector, he also pledged to eliminate corruption entirely, noting that bureaucratic delays in purchasing often create opportunities for misuse.
