Measles treatment leaves families into debt

 
Many families across Bangladesh are being pushed into debt as they struggle to meet the hidden costs of measles treatment, with nearly nine in 10 affected households borrowing money and six in 10 exhausting their savings, according to a joint assessment by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The findings, released in a press statement on Monday, showed that 89 per cent of measles-affected families borrowed money to cover treatment expenses, while 61 per cent used up their savings. Around 4 per cent sold assets and 3 per cent relied on donations.

The assessment, conducted among 2,746 measles-affected families receiving treatment at 12 government medical colleges and district hospitals, found that the financial burden of the outbreak extended well beyond medical care.