Has Bangladesh brought its measles crisis under control? : NPR

Key Points:

• Despite an initial nationwide vaccination campaign in April that administered 18.4 million measles vaccines to children aged 6 months to 5 years, the measles outbreak in Bangladesh persists, with over 57,000 cases reported from January to June 2023.
• The true vaccination target is now estimated at 22.6 million children, as many remain unvaccinated, allowing the highly contagious measles virus to continue spreading, especially among malnourished children who face higher risks of severe illness and death.
• Bangladesh is launching a follow-up vaccination effort to immunize an additional 1.6 million children and is procuring 2.5 million more doses to prevent future shortages, but experts warn that controlling the outbreak will still take several months.
• The outbreak has caused significant financial hardship for affected families, with nearly 90% borrowing money for treatment and 60% exhausting their savings, while caregivers often lose income due to caregiving responsibilities and repeated healthcare visits.
• Health officials emphasize the urgency of vaccinating all children and caution against complacency, noting that even small gaps in immunization coverage can trigger outbreaks and that sustained efforts are needed to fully control the epidemic.