Doctors for Health and Environment, a physicians' organization, has held the interim government and health authorities responsible for the deaths of more than 400 children from measles and measles-like symptoms across the country.
The organization also demanded full measles vaccination coverage for all children, resumption of regular Vitamin A supplementation, and free treatment for infected patients at government expense. It further called for identifying those responsible for negligence, ensuring accountability, and taking punitive action.
The demands were presented on Saturday at a press conference at the Shafiqul Kabir Hall of Dhaka Reporters Unity, where the group announced a 15-point set of recommendations to address the crisis.
The event, titled "Child Deaths from Measles: Public Health Crisis and the Way Forward," was chaired by organization president Shafiqul Islam. Former general secretary Dr M H Farooqi presented the written statement.
In the statement, it was noted that UNICEF's acting representative in Bangladesh, Stanley Gwavuya, recently told a newspaper that vaccine shortages due to procurement complications, delays in disease surveillance reporting, declining population immunity, and the suspension of Vitamin A campaigns were among the key factors behind the outbreak.
Citing these factors, the statement said that the chief adviser of the interim government, the health adviser, the special assistant on health affairs, and the relevant bureaucratic authorities "cannot avoid responsibility" for the deaths.
Describing the outbreak as a serious warning for the country's public health system, speakers called for stronger nationwide immunization drives, establishment of measles treatment corners in government hospitals, resumption of Vitamin A supplementation programs, free treatment for underprivileged children, increased domestic vaccine production capacity, faster recruitment in vacant health sector posts, and expanded community-level health services.
