Measles death figure mismatch in Chattogram or a case of sheer negligence?
According to CMCH, 17 children died between 29 March and 15 April while receiving treatment at its measles corner and paediatric wards. In contrast, the Chattogram Divisional Health Office reported 11 deaths across the entire division during the same period, creating confusion over the actual toll.
A major discrepancy has emerged between Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and Chattogram divisional health authorities over child deaths linked to measles and pneumonia-like symptoms, raising concerns about data accuracy amid a wider outbreak.
According to CMCH, 17 children died between 29 March and 15 April while receiving treatment at its measles corner and paediatric wards. In contrast, the Chattogram Divisional Health Office reported 11 deaths across the entire division during the same period, creating confusion over the actual toll.
Dr Muhammad Musa, head of CMCH's paediatrics department, said 17 children died in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with symptoms including fever, cold, severe respiratory distress and rashes, and were treated as suspected measles cases.
In contrast, Chattogram divisional health authorities reported a total of 11 deaths from measles and pneumonia-like symptoms across Chattogram division during the same period – six in Cox's Bazar, three in Cumilla, and one each in Chattogram and Lakshmipur.
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Chattogram Civil Surgeon Dr Jahangir Alam said CMCH receives patients from multiple districts, and deaths are often recorded in victims' home districts, contributing to discrepancies.
However, a report signed by the civil surgeon on 14 April mentioned only one suspected measles death in Chattogram district, identifying the child as a Cox's Bazar resident who died at CMCH.
When asked about the discrepancy, the civil surgeon referred the matter to Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Touhidul Anwar.
Later, Touhidul admitted that although daily reports are received from CMCH, General Hospital, Maa-O-Shishu Hospital, and several private facilities, child death figures were mistakenly omitted and said the data would be corrected.
In a revised report on 15 April, authorities changed the child's address to Lohagara in Chattogram and removed the column on "suspected measles deaths" altogether, further fuelling questions over reporting consistency.
Earlier, CMCH Director Brig Gen Mohammad Taslim Uddin told TBS on 7 April that a child from Satkania died in the PICU on 6 April, taking the total death toll to three till then. These cases were also absent from the civil surgeon's report.
No data on child deaths has been found from Chattogram General Hospital, Maa-O-Shishu Hospital, or 15 upazilas despite the spread of measles in those areas.
Chattogram Divisional Health Director Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said suspected measles cases cannot be confirmed without laboratory tests and that divisional statistics are compiled based on data from district civil surgeons.
Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram city unit of the Conscious Citizens' Committee (Shujan), criticised the inconsistency, calling it unacceptable and a sign of negligence.
