Measles outbreak drives Bangladeshi families into debt

Aid groups said on Aug. 3 that Bangladesh’s deadliest measles outbreak in decades has killed at least 844 children since March 15 and pushed many families into debt, The Straits Times reported.

More than 112,000 people have sought hospital treatment for measles since March 15, according to health department figures cited in the report. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society said nine out of 10 affected families had to borrow money to cover medical expenses.

The groups assessed 2,746 families who sought treatment for their children at 12 government health facilities. Hospital care is free, but the report said related costs mount quickly; 35 per cent of surveyed families needed help paying for medicines and 22 per cent needed food assistance.

Many affected families come from poorer communities and rely on informal work, earning between US$48 and US$160 a month, the report said. Families spent an average of more than US$130 on treatment and related expenses, while Hazera Khatun, one surveyed woman, said: “Treatment at the government hospital is free, but other costs are not covered.”

Hazera Khatun reported spending around US$200 to hire an ambulance to reach a hospital in Dhaka. “The effects of this measles health emergency do not end at the hospital door, as families often face severe financial hardship,” said Alberto Bocanegra, the IFRC chief in Dhaka.

The report said measles is highly contagious, spreads through coughs and sneezes, and has no specific treatment once caught. Bangladesh has rolled out a mass vaccination drive, but children continue to be infected and die; on Aug. 2 alone, four children died of suspected measles.