The 250-bed General Hospital in Pabna had 50 measles patients admitted on Monday. During the previous 24 hours, the hospital admitted 12 new measles patients. Despite the vaccination campaign targeting children, measles transmission has not yet ceased in the district.
To address the measles outbreak, the health authorities initially launched a measles vaccination campaign on 5 April this year in 30 upazilas across 18 high-risk districts. The targeted areas included Pabna Sadar, Ishwardi, Atgharia and Bera upazilas.
The authorities subsequently expanded the vaccination programme to the remaining parts of the district on 20 April. However, people continue to contract measles.
Zajira upazila in Shariatpur district was among the 30 initially selected upazilas. No measles patient has required admission to Zajira Upazila Health Complex during the past 10 to 12 days.
However, correspondents of Prothom Alo who investigated five of the 30 upazilas reported that measles transmission has not stopped there.
Hospitals in Barguna Sadar, Madaripur Sadar, Porsha in Naogaon, Jashore Sadar and Chapainawabganj Sadar continue to admit patients regularly.
The measles vaccination campaign began nearly two months ago, on 5 April. Many people had expected that the outbreak would subside and come under control once the vaccination drive started. In some areas, infection rates appear to have declined somewhat. However, measles transmission and public concern about the disease persist across the country.
The vaccination campaign began on 5 April in Barguna Sadar; Mehendiganj and Bakerganj in Barishal; Chandpur Sadar and Haimchar; Maheshkhali and Ramu in Cox’s Bazar; Nawabganj in Dhaka; Gazipur Sadar; Jashore Sadar; Nalchity in Jhalakathi; Madaripur Sadar; Munshiganj Sadar, Lohajang and Srinagar; Mymensingh Sadar, Trishal and Phulpur; Natore Sadar; Atpara in Netrokona; Porsha in Naogaon; Chapainawabganj Sadar, Shibganj and Bholahat; Pabna Sadar, Ishwardi, Atgharia and Bera; Godagari in Rajshahi; and Zajira in Shariatpur.
The authorities extended the campaign on 8 April to the areas under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Mymensingh City Corporation and Barishal City Corporation. They launched nationwide vaccination on 20 April.
The government set a target of vaccinating 18,015,064 children aged between six months and five years against measles.
According to officials of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), the campaign achieved coverage exceeding 100 per cent because some children older than five years also received the vaccine.
Professor Mahmudur Rahman, a public health expert and former Director of the government's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told Prothom Alo, "A measles vaccine recipient develops immunity against measles within two to three weeks after receiving the vaccine."
Children in the 30 upazilas began receiving the vaccine approximately eight weeks ago.
However, no one has examined whether these children have actually developed immunity against measles. The government has not undertaken any initiative to assess or verify this.
Yesterday, Monday, Halimur Rashid, director of the Disease Control Division of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told Prothom Alo that officials are not monitoring whether vaccine recipients are developing antibodies.
When asked why people continue to contract measles, he did not provide a direct answer. Instead, he said, "Measles transmission has declined. It will decrease further over the next 20 to 25 days."
When asked when measles would come fully under control, he replied, "No one can say that."
The problem is becoming prolonged
The measles vaccination campaign began nearly two months ago, on 5 April. Many people had expected that the outbreak would subside and come under control once the vaccination drive started.
In some areas, infection rates appear to have declined somewhat. However, measles transmission and public concern about the disease persist across the country.
During the past eight days, Barguna Sadar Hospital admitted 40 children with measles.
Health authorities have confirmed 62 measles cases in the district, while 659 people have shown symptoms consistent with the disease. Two people have died.
Children in the 30 upazilas began receiving the vaccine approximately eight weeks ago. However, no one has examined whether these children have actually developed immunity against measles. The government has not undertaken any initiative to assess or verify this.
Mohammad Abul Fattah, civil surgeon of Barguna District, told Prothom Alo that patients with measles symptoms continue to seek treatment.
He said that five such patients had arrived during the previous 24 hours, while two had been discharged. He added, "It will take time to achieve herd immunity."
During the last 24 hours, 42 people with measles symptoms sought treatment at Madaripur General Hospital.
Between 28 May and 1 June, the hospital treated 63 such patients. One child has died from measles in the district.
Porsha upazila Health Complex in Naogaon had 10 measles patients admitted yesterday, Monday. Health authorities have so far identified 80 measles cases in the upazila, and three people have died.
During the previous 24 hours, three more patients with measles symptoms were admitted to the district headquarters hospital. The hospital had 22 measles patients admitted yesterday, Monday.
The measles problem has already become prolonged. Questions have started to arise regarding the success of the national vaccination campaign and whether it has achieved its intended objectives.Professor Be-Nazir Ahmed, Public health expert and former Director of the government's Disease Control Division
AKM Shahab Uddin, civil surgeon of Chapainawabganj, told Prothom Alo that although measles transmission in the district has declined, it has not stopped. Over the past 10 days, the 250-bed General Hospital admitted 274 patients exhibiting measles symptoms.
Mahfuz Raihan, a pediatric specialist at the General Hospital, said that infants and children aged between two months and one year now account for the majority of admissions.
Yesterday, Monday, the Integrated Control Centre of the DGHS reported that 1,134 people across the country sought hospital treatment for measles symptoms during the previous 24 hours, while three people died after developing such symptoms. During the same period, health authorities confirmed 45 measles cases.
To date, 72,070 people nationwide have sought treatment for measles symptoms, and health authorities have confirmed measles infection in 9,094 of them.
As of Monday, measles had claimed 588 lives this year. Of those deaths, 498 involved individuals who exhibited measles symptoms, while health authorities confirmed measles infection in 90 cases.
Professor Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former Director of the government's Disease Control Division, told Prothom Alo, "The measles problem has already become prolonged. Questions have started to arise regarding the success of the national vaccination campaign and whether it has achieved its intended objectives."
"It does not appear that every area has achieved 95 per cent vaccination coverage. Herd immunity will not develop unless vaccination coverage reaches 95 per cent. As a result, the problem will become even more prolonged," he added.
[Correspondents from Pabna, Shariatpur, Barguna, Madaripur, Naogaon, Jashore and Chapainawabganj contributed to this report.]