Four more die with measles symptoms in 24 hours
A new policy brief released by the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership has warned that widening immunisation gaps in Bangladesh could worsen antimicrobial resistance and reverse decades of public health progress.
Meanwhile, four more children died from measles-related symptoms in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Thursday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
According to an icddr,b press release issued on Thursday, vaccine gaps could worsen antimicrobial resistance in Bangladesh.
The brief, titled ‘The Value of Vaccines in Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance in Bangladesh,’ was developed by the One Health Trust and icddr,b under the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership initiative.
The report said that vaccines should be recognised not only as tools for preventing infectious diseases, but also as a key strategy for reducing antibiotic use, slowing the spread of drug-resistant infections and protecting public health in the long term.
The policy brief noted that Bangladesh was facing one of its largest measles outbreaks in recent years.
According to the report, more than 51,500 suspected measles cases and over 350 confirmed and suspected deaths were reported across the country till May this year.
Public health experts said that the outbreak reflected growing immunity gaps caused by disruptions in routine immunisation and declining vaccine confidence in some communities.
‘Vaccines are among the most powerful and cost-effective tools available for reducing infections, lowering antibiotic use and complementing broader efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance,’ said icddr,b scientist and GARP-Bangladesh chair Dr Wasif Ali Khan.
‘Every infection prevented through vaccination represents a potential reduction in both antibiotic use and the emergence of resistant pathogens,’ he added.
The report noted that antimicrobial resistance was now considered one of the biggest global public health threats.
According to estimates cited in the brief, antimicrobial resistance could cause more than 39 million deaths worldwide between 2025 and 2050.
In Bangladesh alone, 96,878 deaths were associated with antimicrobial resistance in 2021, while 23,454 deaths were directly attributable to it, the report said.
The brief acknowledged Bangladesh’s achievements through its Expanded Programme on Immunisation, including the elimination of neonatal tetanus, the eradication of polio and the control of congenital rubella syndrome.
The report recommended sustaining universal childhood immunisation coverage, expanding access to vaccines with proven antimicrobial resistance benefits and integrating vaccination more fully into the country’s national antimicrobial resistance strategy.
It also recommended regularly evaluating pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, ensuring long-term integration of typhoid conjugate vaccine into routine immunisation and accelerating the introduction of rotavirus vaccines.
One Health Trust fellow and director of partnerships Erta Kalanxhi said that prevention must become central to the global response to antimicrobial resistance alongside surveillance efforts.
The policy brief was developed collaboratively by the GARP-Bangladesh technical working group comprising multidisciplinary experts from icddr,b, DGHS, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka University, WHO, UNICEF, Directorate General of Drug Administration, ARK Foundation, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, and the livestock sector under a One Health approach.
DGHS data showed that 1,423 more children developed measles symptoms across the country in the latest 24-hour reporting period.
Since March 15, the total number of people showing measles-like symptoms has reached 59,279.
According to DGHS, 208 new confirmed measles cases were recorded in the latest 24 hours, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 8,275 since March 15.
Since March 15, 405 people have died from measles-related symptoms, while 83 deaths were confirmed as measles cases, taking the total death toll to 488.
