Source: BBC
As global attention focuses on emerging threats such as Ebola and hantavirus in other parts of the world, a more immediate and devastating crisis is unfolding in Bangladesh: measles.
According to health authorities, the rapidly escalating outbreak has taken a heavy toll on children, killing more than 500 since March. While infections continue to surge and place mounting pressure on the country's already strained healthcare system, the efforts of medical workers to contain the outbreak have proven heartbreakingly difficult in a system that is highly pluralistic and decentralized.
In just over two months, suspected and confirmed cases have surged past 60,000, making this one of the most serious measles outbreaks in recent years. The crisis is heavily concentrated in the capital, Dhaka, where healthcare personnel are completely overwhelmed.
A range of factors is worsening the situation, the most significant being vaccination coverage that has fallen behind due to inadequate funding, staffing shortages, and high out-of-pocket costs. To make matters worse, Dhaka's densely populated communities are further accelerating the spread of the disease.
Health officials and aid agencies warn that young children—particularly those under five and unvaccinated—are at the highest risk of severe complications and death. Measles, a highly contagious viral infection, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes, especially in crowded environments.
Behind the statistics are individual tragedies. The BBC was able to trace a father in Dhaka who described the harrowing death of his four-year-old daughter, Akira. The young girl initially developed what appeared to be a harmless fever before her condition worsened. She was repeatedly admitted to hospital before doctors finally diagnosed measles; by that time, she required life support and later died.
Her father said that despite repeated attempts to have the entire family vaccinated, they were turned away due to overcrowded hospitals and vaccine unavailability. He also expressed anguish over the possibility that she may have contracted the infection while in hospital, where measles patients were reportedly present in multiple areas.
Across Bangladesh, similar situations have unfolded, with hospitals struggling to cope with the surge, overflowing wards, and families travelling long distances to access care in major cities. In some facilities, suspected measles cases are difficult to isolate due to limited space and resources.
In spite of continuous efforts to alleviate the ongoing crisis, experts from UNICEF say that the outbreak is being driven by a combination of factors, including vaccination gaps that widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when routine immunisation services and door-to-door outreach were disrupted. Some communities have not yet caught up on missed doses.
The agency has also pointed to delays in vaccine procurement as a contributing factor, while Bangladeshi officials argue that immunisation programmes remain intact and that international cooperation has continued. A mass emergency vaccination campaign launched in April is now underway with external support.
Health authorities say early signs suggest infections may be beginning to stabilise in some heavily affected areas, though the full impact will take time as immunity develops after vaccination. Still, experts warn that upcoming holiday travel could accelerate spread as families move between cities and rural regions.
Despite the alarming number of casualties and growing international concern, officials have not declared a national emergency, insisting that district hospitals are managing cases and supporting intensive care needs. For families like Akira's, however, the outbreak has already left lasting grief.
