Public health experts, physicians and academicians at a virtual discussion on Wednesday urged the government to ensure proper treatment for patients with measles symptoms amid the ongoing outbreak in Bangladesh.
The webinar was organised by the Alliance for Health Reform, where speakers also emphasised strengthening immunisation coverage and building herd immunity to prevent future outbreaks.
Professor Syed Abdul Hamid of the Institute of Health Economics suggested forming upazila-level health protection cells to monitor outbreaks and coordinate treatment and vaccination efforts.
He said that a coordinated initiative involving government agencies, local health facilities and communities was essential to contain the ongoing measles outbreak.
Speakers appreciated the government’s recent decision to launch emergency vaccination campaigns targeting exposed children, saying that rapid immunisation could help control the spread of the disease.
The experts observed that inadequate vaccination coverage, particularly the dropout from the second dose of measles vaccine, had increased the vulnerability of many children.
Public health expert Tajul Islam A Bari said that around 26.3 per cent of vaccinated children could remain vulnerable due to vaccine efficacy limitations and incomplete immunisation coverage.
He stressed the need for large-scale immunisation campaigns to achieve the required coverage level and prevent further transmission.
Professor Mahmudur Rahman urged the government to conduct risk zoning and implement special vaccination drives in high-risk districts.
‘Priority should be given to at least six high-risk districts where vaccination coverage remains low,’ he said.
The webinar was moderated by public health expert Professor Abu Jamil Faisal.
Among others, former secretary Sarwar Bari, Professor Shadrul Alam and Syed Raju spoke at the discussion.
Experts at the event warned that without proper treatment for infected patients and immediate strengthening of routine immunisation, measles could continue to spread and put more children at risk across the country.
