Bangladesh has asked the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct a preliminary inquiry about the country's worsening measles situation that has left more than 500 children dead and many others infected, a special adviser to the prime minister said on Saturday.
"We have informally requested the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct an independent inquiry to determine why the measles situation deteriorated at this point," Ziauddin Haider, the prime minister's special adviser on health affairs, told reporters in Dhaka. The outbreak started in March.
He said the UN agency responded positively.
The government reported the deaths of 13 more children in the 24 hours ending Saturday morning, raising the death toll to 512 since the outbreak began.
Among them, 86 children are confirmed to have measles infections, while the remainder died with symptoms, an official handout said, adding that more than 62,000 children have been hospitalized nationwide with measles symptoms since the outbreak began.
WHO warned previous administration
The government's measures came days after a UNICEF official in Dhaka said at a news conference that the agency had sent five letters to the previous interim administration, headed by Muhammad Yunus, warning that the measles situation could deteriorate.
Many political parties and social organizations have criticized the interim administration for not taking adequate measures to address measles vaccine shortages.
They have also demanded punishment for those responsible for the deaths of hundreds of children suffering from measles symptoms.
Health Minister: Previous governments failed to push vaccines
Bangladesh typically administers two doses of the measles-rubella vaccine to children at 9 months and 15 months of age. Special nationwide campaigns are conducted every four years to ensure no child is left out.
Health Minister Sardar Sakawat Hossain informed parliament last month that such a campaign did not take place during the interim government's tenure. The previous government's failures in vaccine procurement and vaccination made the situation worse, he said.
"It was sheer negligence on the part of the previous government," he said at an event in Dhaka on Saturday. "But at this moment, the government prioritizes proper treatment for measles-affected children over arranging the trial of those responsible for the situation," he added.
In early April, the government, with support from UNICEF, the WHO, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign aiming to protect more than 1.2 million children aged six months to five years.
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable viral illness. It causes high fever, cough, red eyes, and a characteristic blotchy rash. Symptoms usually appear 10–12 days after exposure in children.
