THE widening measles outbreak, cases being reported from at least 56 of the 64 districts, warrants a genuine review of children’s immunisation state. The outbreak questions the integrity of the national immunisation programme. Within weeks, measles has spread across eight city corporations and 56 districts, with hundreds of confirmed cases and thousands of suspected cases overwhelming healthcare facilities. An alarming surge in test positivity, from less than 4 per cent in previous years to 54 per cent in March, reveals how rapidly the virus is circulating. Equally alarming is the high number of cases among infants under nine months. It suggests a possible decline in maternal immunity, raising concern that demand immediate investigation and research. What is also evident is that there appears to be data gaps in assessing the ongoing outbreak, with incomplete reporting and delayed laboratory confirmations that obscure the scale of the crisis. The admission by health authorities that the country was initially unprepared only strengthens the data gap concerns. While the Directorate General of Health Services suspects more than two dozen measles deaths and 3,709 cases of hospital admission since March 15, health experts fear that the figures could be much higher.
While emergency vaccination campaigns and improved clinical management are what the government must go for, these are reactive measures in the face of a problem that has built up for years. Measles, a highly contagious yet preventable disease, should never have been allowed to regain such a foothold. Its resurgence is a warning that the foundations of immunisation and disease prevention are dangerously neglected. Experts say that there is a gap in the immunisation programme caused largely by failures in planning, procurement and implementation. And, shifting immunisation planning, weaknesses in vaccine procurement and long-term gaps in programme implementation were responsible for the current measles outbreak, warning that other vaccine-preventable diseases could resurge if urgent measures are not taken. The Vaccination Coverage Survey 2023 also shows concerning immunisation gaps. Around 80 per cent of confirmed measles cases are among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children while only 81.6 per cent of children possess measles antibodies, far below the 95 per cent threshold required for herd immunity. Shifting immunisation strategies, supply disruptions and persistent weaknesses in field-level delivery have compounded the crisis. Misinformation, lack of awareness and anti-vaccination narratives are also believed to have undermined the coverage.
While the government must immediately address and ensure proper treatment for confirmed and suspected patients, it must undertake a comprehensive overhaul by ensuring consistent vaccine supply, strengthening routine services, investing in frontline workers and rebuilding public trust through sustained community engagement. The current outbreak should force decisive action to rebuild a resilient, equitable immunisation system capable of protecting every child.
