Shillong, Apr 20: With measles claiming anywhere from 100 to 200 lives in Bangladesh since March, next door Meghalaya and other North East states are racing to plug vaccination gaps and tighten surveillance to prevent a cross-border spread.
Measles is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable infectious disease. However, vaccination rates dropped in Bangladesh during and in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the situation deteriorated further following the 2024 Bangladesh Revolution.
Health officials flagged the worsening situation across the international border, where thousands of suspected cases have been reported. Reporting backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF earlier this month highlighted a sharp surge in transmission, prompting authorities in Bangladesh to launch an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign.
WHO Rapid Response Team (RRT) member Dr B Puspakarna, stationed in West Jaintia Hills, briefed participants at an orientation-cum-preparedness meeting held on April 17 at the Amlarem Sub-Divisional Office on transmission risks and underscored the need for heightened vigilance.
Local health authorities sought to reassure residents while pressing for early action. Dr A Khonglah, Health Officer of Amlarem, said only a few suspected cases have been identified in the Amlarem block so far, with all tested samples returning negative. “At this stage, there is no cause for panic, but early reporting is critical,” he said, urging communities to immediately report symptoms such as fever with rash to the nearest health facility for timely testing and intervention.
The meeting saw participation from a wide cross-section of stakeholders, including district administration, health officials, Border Security Force personnel, community leaders and grassroots workers such as ASHAs and Anganwadi workers.
Children under 5 are at the highest risk and parents have been urged to ensure timely administration of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine. Vaccination coverage must exceed 95 percent of the population to ensure effective protection. While first-dose coverage remains satisfactory there is some concern over the lower uptake of the second dose.
Last week, authorities in West Khasi Hills issued an order calling for strict surveillance and today East Khasi Hills followed suit.
All fever with rash cases in any age group should be reported immediately to the authorities, the notifications stated.
