Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has acknowledged a shortage of measles testing kits, saying the government is taking steps to resolve the issue.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session in Parliament.
"The shortage of testing kits is real. The government is working to address it. Many kits have already arrived, and some are currently at customs at Dhaka airport. We are taking measures to ensure their swift release, Insha'Allah," he said.
He added that a single kit could be used to test up to three children, which may help ease the immediate pressure.
The Prime Minister also told Parliament that during the tenure of the interim government, measles vaccines for children were not imported.
"We supported the interim government in holding a free, fair, and impartial election. However, it is unfortunate that measles vaccines for children were not imported during that period," he said.
He noted that UNICEF had stepped in with significant support by supplying measles vaccines promptly, allowing the country to begin receiving doses.
"We plan to vaccinate around 20 million children against measles," he added.
Meanwhile, the Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported on Wednesday afternoon that five more people had died with measles symptoms across the country in the past 24 hours.
Since March 15, a total of 38 deaths have been confirmed from measles, while suspected measles-related deaths have risen to 190.
During the same period, 3,934 confirmed measles cases have been recorded, alongside 27,164 suspected cases.
Additionally, 17,998 people have been hospitalized with suspected measles so far, of whom 14,892 have been discharged after treatment.
