Bangladesh’s children hit hard by measles amid failed vaccination drive

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Unhealthy living conditions, malnutrition, insufficient primary health care facilities, delays in treatment and high cost are driving a surge in infections among children under five in Bangladesh, with measles and exacting a heavy toll, a new report has said.

The report from Bangladesh-based The Daily Star warned that the country’s fragile immunisation and nutrition systems are leaving young children vulnerable to life‑threatening illnesses. From March 2026 to June 30, the number of suspected measles cases touched 1,01,077, while associated deaths rose to 6,258.

Measles has re‑emerged as a major public‑health threat, adding to the toll of 24,000 under‑five deaths from pneumonia occurring each year in Bangladesh with about 60 pneumonia‑related deaths daily.

Measles is a viral infection with higher transmission rate than coronavirus. Infants and children with undernutrition are at much higher risk of life-threatening complications.

National under‑five mortality stands at about 33 per 1,000 live births, with higher rates among lower‑income groups.

The report added that vaccination coverage has slipped in recent years. Full vaccination coverage (FVC) for children aged 12–23 months had reached 83.9 per cent by 2019 but fell to 81.6 per cent by 2023, with urban coverage (79 per cent) lagging behind rural areas (84.6 per cent).

While the BCG birth‑dose rate remains high at more than 98 per cent, substantial dropout occurs before the beneficiaries complete the vaccination schedule at 15 months with MR2, the second dose of the measles-rubella vaccine.

Nutrition and breastfeeding shortfalls in Bangladesh compound the risk, the report added. Exclusive breastfeeding rates are only at around 56 per cent in the country, depriving nearly half of infants of early immune protection from colostrum and breast milk.

“Adolescent motherhood, inadequate maternity leave, the absence of breastfeeding facilities for working mothers, misconceptions, lack of awareness and the unregulated availability of formula milk are among the contributing factors,” the report said.

The country also lacks regular availability of foods rich in Iron, vitamin A, vitamin D and zinc for a child. Around 43.6 per cent of children under‑five suffer from various degrees of anaemia, with the prevalence being higher among those below two years of age.

Shortages of EPI cards, tally books and register books necessary for vaccination were also reported by EPI workers, along with vaccine shortages, the report noted.

—IANS

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