Measles outbreak In Bandarban: Remoteness, poor access to treatment worsen crisis

A child suffering from symptoms consistent with measles died on Saturday, July 25, while being taken to Bandarban Sadar Hospital from the remote Letong Khumi Para in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila.

With the latest death, at least seven children have died from measles-like symptoms in the village over the past 15 days, while 13 children with similar symptoms were undergoing treatment at Ruma Upazila Health Complex as of yesterday.

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The deceased children are: Freleng Khumi, 5; Khrepa Khumi, 11; Shoifra Khumi, 5; Khretem Eng Khumi, 6; Poly Eng Khumi, 9; Pretem Eng Khumi, 7, and Prelung Khumi, 4.

Dr Mohammad Abdullah Al Hasan, upazila health and family planning officer in Ruma, said local residents informed on Saturday morning that two children had died in Letong Khumi Para with measles-like symptoms. In response, two health workers and a vaccinator were immediately dispatched to the village.

During the visit, the team was informed by the families of the deceased that the children had suffered from symptoms consistent with measles but did not receive timely medical treatment.

Dr Al Hasan said the team found three critically ill children in the village and advised their families to take them to hospital immediately. One of them, Pretem Eng Khumi, 6, died while being taken to hospital. The two others were initially taken to Ruma Upazila Health Complex and then to Bandarban Sadar Hospital, where one of them, Prelung Khumi, 4, developed severe respiratory distress and was referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Prelung died after being taken to CMCH yesterday.

Dr Md Towhidul Anwar, resident medical officer at Bandarban Sadar Hospital, said, "Prelung requires treatment in an intensive care unit. As our hospital does not have any ICU facility, the child has been referred to CMCH."

Ang Sai Khumi, a resident of Letong Khumi Para, said the village is located around 35 kilometres away from Ruma upazila headquarters. People have to hike through steep hilly terrains for around three to four hours before reaching a point from where they could travel on motorcycles to reach the upazila town.

Due to the remoteness and lack of communication facilities, doctors and medical teams cannot regularly reach the village, while it becomes difficult to bring critically ill children to hospital in time. Poverty has also prevented many families from seeking treatment promptly, he added.

Unicef staff vaccinator U Thowai Sing Marma said they found many families relying on traditional herbal remedies for their ailing children, adding that they vaccinated 30 to 35 children there.

Visiting Ruma Upazila Health Complex and Bandarban Sadar Hospital yesterday, this correspondent found 12 children with measles-like symptoms were being treated in the health complex, while 29 were admitted to the hospital.

Dr Al Hasan said nearly 100 children had received treatment in the health complex for measles-like symptoms between May 13 and July 27. Of them, 23 were referred to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for advanced treatment, 65 recovered and returned home, while 12 remain hospitalised.

Most of the hospitalised children are between five and 12 years old, which suggests that many children in the remote areas likely did not get vaccinated, he said.

He added that the health authorities would investigate whether health assistants or vaccination workers assigned to those remote areas had neglected their duties earlier and take appropriate action if anyone is found responsible.

Ruma Upazila Nirbahi Officer Liza Akter Bithi said the upazila health and family planning officer and other concerned officials have been directed to take immediate action.

“The upazila administration will provide all necessary support to ensure vaccination against measles and other preventable diseases, as well as essential healthcare services, for children living in remote areas,” she added.

Md Shahin Hossain, civil surgeon in Bandarban, said the district has long been lacking ICU and CCU facilities, adding that it was urgent to make the facilities available for patients.

He also said health workers would begin a measles vaccination drive across the remote villages in the district from today.