Doctors’ platform demands punishment over preventable measles deaths

It also called for immediate corrective measures, including launching a nationwide mass vaccination campaign, declaring the measles outbreak a public health emergency, and undertaking all-out efforts with the highest priority to contain the crisis.

DPPH, a platform of what it described as progressive doctors formed in May 2020, made the observations and demands at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity titled “Deaths of Children in Measles: What Should Be Done in this Public Health Emergency.”

Public health expert Mushtaq Husain, also a convening committee member of DPPH, who read out their keynote paper, said the current measles situation is not merely a health issue, but a serious public health crisis that has exposed weaknesses in the healthcare system and gaps in vaccination coverage.

Citing data from the Directorate General of Health Services, he said 206 children died from measles and measles-like symptoms between March 15 and April 16 this year.

Of them, 34 cases were confirmed through laboratory tests, while the rest showed symptoms consistent with the disease. More than 20,000 people have been infected, with over 3,000 currently undergoing treatment in hospitals, he said.

“These deaths could have been prevented if timely and effective measures had been taken,” he added.

“We believe that negligence in vaccine procurement by the previous interim government, bureaucratic delays, and institutional indifference towards public health have contributed to this outbreak and weakened the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). Those responsible for these preventable child deaths must be identified and held accountable,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said whether the government acknowledges it or not, a measles epidemic is currently underway in the country.

“We are seeing the government take various emergency measures. However, it may be refraining from declaring measles a public health emergency, possibly out of concern that it could create panic among people or have political consequences,” he added.

Replying to another question, he said that as the government has started mass vaccination, the rising trend of measles cases may decline within one and a half months. However, it may take another month for the number of deaths to come down, he added.

Prof Mahbub-E-Rashid, convenor of DPPH, said Bangladesh had been performing well in controlling communicable diseases, with the main concern shifting to the rise of non-communicable diseases.

However, he said the country has faltered in controlling communicable diseases like measles, attributing the situation to negligence by those concerned.