Most child deaths linked to pneumonia and malnutrition, not measles: Health Minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister, Sakawat Hossain Bakul, has said that the majority of child deaths in the country are caused by pneumonia and malnutrition rather than measles.

The minister made the remarks on Monday while attending a civic reception organized by Denmark chapter of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Copenhagen, where he is currently on a three-day official visit to Denmark.

Addressing the gathering, Bakul said that measles-related deaths have increased in recent years, although measles alone is not the primary cause of mortality. According to him, most of the affected children die from complications such as pneumonia and respiratory distress.

The minister also attributed the situation to widespread malnutrition among mothers and children, as well as a lack of Vitamin A supplementation campaigns in recent years. He said these factors have weakened children's immunity, making measles infections more severe and contributing to the rise in child mortality.

Bakul announced that the government plans to recruit an additional 100,000 health workers across the country. The newly recruited workers will provide healthcare services at the community level through door-to-door outreach.

He further said the government is planning to establish 20 new hospitals and procure four helicopters to ensure emergency medical services reach patients in remote areas and reduce preventable deaths.

Criticizing the previous administration, the minister alleged that the health sector had been neglected over the past 17 years and claimed that large sums of public money were misappropriated under the guise of purchasing medical equipment.

Earlier, Bakul arrived in Copenhagen to participate in a high-level meeting between the Government of Bangladesh and UNICEF’s Supply Division on vaccine procurement and supply chain management.

TZ