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Bangladesh launches vaccination drive amid measles outbreak and malnutrition crisis
Bangladesh is facing a severe measles outbreak, with 914 deaths reported this year. To combat the crisis, the health ministry has decided to deploy 1.6 million stored vaccines to reach children in underserved areas who missed routine immunizations.
A joint study by Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute and icddr,b has identified a critical link between the outbreak and malnutrition. The research found that 65 percent of children hospitalized with measles suffer from moderate to severe malnutrition. Furthermore, 82 percent of children who died from the virus had not been exclusively breastfed, highlighting significant nutritional vulnerabilities.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit stated that it could take two to three months to bring the outbreak under control. He noted that the situation is exacerbated by healthcare worker shortages, with nearly 40 percent of field worker positions currently vacant. To address this, the government plans to recruit 5,000 doctors, 1,000 nurses, and 100,000 field-level workers.
Entities
Bangladesh · Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare · Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute · Directorate General of Health Services · Kamruzzaman Chowdhury · MA Muhit · Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury · Ministry of Health · UNICEF · World Health Organization · icddr,b
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] 82 percent of children who died from measles had not been exclusively breastfed. en.prothomalo.com · www.world-today-news.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] A total of 914 deaths have been recorded this year due to measles and measles-like symptoms. chandpurtimes.com · bnanews24.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The government plans to recruit 5,000 doctors, 1,000 nurses, and 100,000 field workers to address healthcare shortages. www.punjabkesari.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The health ministry will use 1.6 million stored vaccines to target children in underserved areas. chandpurtimes.com · bnanews24.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] It may take two to three months to bring the measles outbreak under control. en.prothomalo.com · www.punjabkesari.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] 65 percent of children with measles suffer from moderate to severe malnutrition. en.prothomalo.com · www.world-today-news.com