Hospitals in Sylhet are struggling to accommodate the growing number of measles patients. Nearly 150 patients are currently receiving treatment at a 100-bed measles-dedicated hospital, while more than 100 children are being admitted every day with measles or measles-like symptoms. Child deaths are also being reported almost daily.
Over the past month alone, 37 people have died in Sylhet Division with measles or symptoms of the disease—more than one death on average every day.
Amid the worsening situation, health authorities have largely been left watching the crisis unfold, with their response mainly limited to vaccination campaigns. Health officials and stakeholders fear the situation could deteriorate further unless measures are taken to raise public awareness, ensure 100% vaccination coverage among children and reassess the immunity of mothers.
The measles outbreak began in Sylhet in March this year and intensified from May. By June, the region had effectively become a measles “hotspot.” Child deaths have been reported almost daily for nearly three months.
Although a measles vaccination campaign has already been conducted, the outbreak has continued. To treat patients with measles and related symptoms, authorities designated the 100-bed Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital as a dedicated facility. The 38-bed Ward No. 32 at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital was also designated for measles treatment.
However, the number of patients has continued to rise, exceeding the available bed capacity.
According to data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Tuesday (August 25), 71 people were newly admitted to hospitals and health complexes across Sylhet Division with measles or measles-like symptoms in the previous 24 hours. Of them, 20 were admitted to Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, 43 to Osmani Medical College Hospital, four to Ragib-Rabeya Medical College Hospital and four to Moulvibazar District Sadar Hospital.
At present, 293 suspected measles patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals across the division. Among them, 117 are at Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital and 96 at Osmani Medical College Hospital.
With the number of patients exceeding the bed capacity at the two hospitals, multiple children are reportedly being treated in a single bed.
In addition, 15 patients are receiving treatment at Ragib-Rabeya Medical College Hospital, four at North East Hospital, two each at Beanibazar and Jamalganj Upazila Health Complexes, 31 at Sunamganj District Sadar Hospital, nine at Habiganj District Sadar Hospital and 17 at Moulvibazar District Sadar Hospital.
As of Tuesday (August 25), the total number of deaths associated with suspected or confirmed measles in Sylhet Division had reached 145.
Health department data show that 52 people have died from suspected measles in Sylhet, including four confirmed measles deaths. In Habiganj, 15 suspected and four confirmed measles deaths have been reported. Moulvibazar has recorded 12 suspected and one confirmed death, while Sunamganj has reported 56 suspected and one confirmed death.
Overall, 135 people have died from suspected measles and 10 from confirmed measles, bringing the total death toll to 145.
Despite the rising number of infections and deaths, the health department has yet to introduce any major new measures to contain the outbreak. Authorities conducted a vaccination campaign from April 20 to May 10 and announced that nearly all children had been brought under vaccination coverage. However, the continued spread of measles has raised questions about the effectiveness of that effort.
The DGHS itself has acknowledged that health workers visiting homes in remote areas have found that around 20-25% of children remain outside the vaccination coverage.
At present, the health department has no major measles-control programme beyond going door-to-door and vaccinating children. Officials appear to be relying on the expectation that the outbreak will eventually decline on its own.
Sylhet Civil Surgeon Dr Md Nasir Uddin said the measles outbreak had come under some control in most parts of Bangladesh except Dhaka, but the situation in Sylhet remained serious.
“Children are still dying every day. Health workers are going door-to-door to vaccinate children to control measles,” he said.
He added that health officials had previously believed the vaccination campaign had managed to cover nearly 100% of children. However, visits to remote areas have shown that at least four to five out of every 20 children remain unvaccinated.
The Civil Surgeon further said children receive measles vaccines at nine and 15 months of age. However, many children are becoming infected and dying before reaching nine months.
“These children are supposed to receive immunity from their mothers. Why are they not receiving it? This needs to be considered at the national level,” he said.
