The measles outbreak in Bangladesh shows no signs of slowing, as hospitals continue to struggle with a rising number of cases and deaths. Families are desperately moving from one hospital to another, in many cases facing long delays, misdiagnoses, and a lack of essential medical resources.
Fatema Begum, a mother from Narayanganj, is one of many facing the unbearable burden of the crisis. Her 16-month-old son, Abdur Rahim, was initially admitted for cold-related symptoms but quickly deteriorated, prompting multiple hospital visits. Fatema recounted her struggles: “We first went to a local hospital, then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). After four days, we came here to DNCC Hospital. The child is still struggling to breathe.”
Fatema expressed frustration over what she described as medical negligence at DMCH, where her child was not diagnosed properly. “They told me it was just a cold and pneumonia. They didn’t even consider measles despite the clear symptoms like fever and swollen eyes.”
Fatema also accused the medical staff of misadministering medication and failing to provide necessary oxygen despite its availability. “The nurses gave him the wrong medicine dosage. When the doctor arrived, he told me it wasn’t even for a child.”
Thankfully, after transferring to DNCC Hospital, Abdur Rahim showed signs of improvement. “His condition is already better than after four days at DMCH,” Fatema noted. However, the emotional and financial toll on the family remains high, with costs running into the thousands of Taka.
Attempts were made to contact Brig Gen Md Asaduzzaman, director of DMCH, regarding these allegations, but no statement was received by the time of filing this report.
Mohammad Ibrahim Titon, deputy director (hospital) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told TIMES that in such incidents, if the victim files a complaint with the Director General of the Directorate, they would hear both the victim and the accused parties before taking action.
Measles deaths and cases on the rise
The Health Emergency Operation Center of Directorate General of Health Services reported 1,235 new suspected measles cases in the past 24 hours alone, and two more deaths during the time. In total, 49 confirmed deaths have been recorded, and 227 suspected deaths have been reported since the outbreak began. As of the latest update, 37,131 suspected measles cases have been reported, with 5,028 confirmed cases since March 15 this year.
In Dhaka, the situation has become dire, with the number of children admitted to hospitals exceeding 3,000 at DNCC Hospital alone. Dr Asif Haider, the hospital’s administrative officer, noted that while 90% of patients have recovered, there are still daily admissions, with 97 new cases reported in a single day.
Heartbreaking scenes at the hospital
At DNCC Hospital, the suffering continues. Rani Begum, from Madaripur, was seen tearfully wheeling her one-year-old son, Abdullah Abir, to the ICU. Despite seeking treatment at Mitford Hospital for five days, Abdullah’s condition worsened, forcing the family to move to Dhaka for urgent care. Rani’s husband, Monir Hossain Manju, expressed regret, saying, “I wish we had brought him here sooner. Maybe his condition would have been better.”
Sadly, Abdullah’s case is not unique. Families like Rani’s are facing life-or-death struggles as hospitals across the country are overwhelmed with measles patients.
A ray of hope amidst chaos
Despite the overwhelming crisis, there is a glimmer of hope. Al-Amin, from Chandpur, was seen leaving DNCC Hospital with his six-month-old child, who had improved significantly after several days of treatment. “Alhamdulillah, he is well now,” said a visibly relieved Al-Amin, as he prepared to take his child home.
National vaccination campaign in progress
In response to the crisis, the National Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign 2026 has been underway since 5 April, with 12,162,906 (over 1.21 crore) children vaccinated so far. Health authorities report that 99% of the vaccination target has been met. While some areas like Gazipur and Chattogram have exceeded their targets, Sylhet City Corporation lags behind with just 74% coverage.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain expressed optimism about controlling the outbreak, saying, “We hope the measles situation will be under control soon, as 100% of children aged six months to 59 months will be vaccinated in the coming weeks.”
Despite these efforts, the crisis is far from over. With a high mortality rate and the constant pressure on the healthcare system, Bangladesh’s battle with the measles epidemic is set to continue unless urgent and coordinated action is taken at all levels.
Doctors warned that even after recovering from measles, a patient’s immunity remains low. During this period, there is a risk of contracting diarrhoea, pneumonia, and other diseases. Therefore, they advise providing patients with nutritious food and keeping them in a safe environment.
