HC seeks report in 30 days on steps to tackle measles outbreak

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday ordered the Health Ministry to submit a progress report within the next 30 days over the steps they have been taken to combat the measles outbreak and save children.

The HC bench comprising Justice Razik Al Jalil and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to form a 10-member investigation committee comprising representatives of the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research to identify the root cause of the measles outbreak in the country and find out the responsible behind the sudden outbreak of the measles across the country.

The HC bench also asked the government to explain why an order should not be given to the government for adequate compensation to the families of each child who died in the measles outbreak.

The Secretary of the Health Services Division, the Secretary of the Home Department, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services and the Director of IEDCR have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.

Lawyer Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz appeared for the petitioner during the court proceedings.

On May 10, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Humayon Kabir Pallab filed the petition with the HC as the public interest litigation seeking its directives in this regard.

According to the report, from March 15 to May 18, a total of 42,868 people were admitted to hospitals in the country with suspected measles. During the same period, a total of 38,980 people recovered and were discharged from the hospital while a total of 389 people died of suspected measles and 75 people died of confirmed measles.