Measles outbreak now spreads to remote Ctg hill tracts

After spreading across the country's plains, a measles outbreak now has spread to remote hilly villages in Alikadam upazila of Bandarban, where at least three children have died with measles-like symptoms and 73 others have been infected as of yesterday (26 April).

Children in the hard-to-reach area allegedly remain outside routine measles vaccination coverage. Saknao Mro, who has been working with patients since the outbreak began at Alikadam's Kurukpata union, said the disease has spread across multiple remote paras in the union.

Most hospitalised patients come from remote border-adjacent houses in Poamuhuri, where residents are largely jhum cultivators and poor, he added. 

Health experts have urged authorities to urgently expand vaccination, ensure isolation of infected patients, and strengthen treatment facilities to prevent further fatalities.

Public health expert Dr M Mushtuq Husain said immediate vaccination is essential for healthy children, while infected patients should be treated under medical supervision.

"Children who are still healthy must be vaccinated against measles as quickly as possible, and those who have already been infected should all be admitted to the upazila health complex or the nearest hospital… they need to be counseled and brought under vaccination coverage," he said.

30 children infected in a student hostel, one dies

Around 140 Mro students from nursery to grade five reside at a hostel named "Prinnoy Shikkhaloy" in Yangring Para of the union and study at a nearby school.

At the beginning of April, measles symptoms began spreading here. While taken to Alikadam Sadar Hospital, a nine-year-old student died.

Prinnoy Shikkhaloy Director Uthoaingya Marma said more than 30 students developed symptoms including fever, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and reddish rashes.

Health workers from the upazila headquarters were rushed there for treatment. Currently, seven students are still under treatment—four at Alikadam Upazila Health Complex, two at Lama Upazila Health Complex, and one at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.

Hostel management committee member Lauli Mro Mesha said, "The area is about 37 kilometres from the upazila headquarters and communication is extremely difficult. No vaccination team has ever come here. Such outbreaks keep recurring due to lack of healthcare and immunisation services," he said, calling for a permanent health centre or community clinic in the union.

The institution has been closed due to the measles outbreak, he added. 

The Mro Youth Organisation, a volunteer group, has been providing various forms of support, including admitting poor patients to the health complex, purchasing medicines, and transferring to other medical facilities.

Zila Parishad Member Khamlai Mro visited the area on Saturday. He said recurring outbreaks are linked to long-standing gaps in vaccination coverage among Mro children. 

He cited vaccine hesitancy within the community, negligence by the health department, and severe geographical inaccessibility.

"Before administering vaccines, awareness programmes should be conducted involving local public representatives, village chiefs (karbaris), and headmen. This area needs to be treated as a special case with targeted programmes," he said, adding that most children remain unvaccinated, increasing infection risk.

Temporary medical camp set up

Bandarban Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Shaheen Hossain Chowdhury said most patients have recovered after primary treatment, while severe cases are being treated in isolation at hospitals.

A temporary medical camp has been set up at a primary school in Kurukpata Union, staffed with two medical officers, three senior nurses, one medical assistant, and one support staff, with capacity to treat around 30 patients at a time.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Monjur Alam said vaccination coverage in remote villages remains incomplete due to difficult terrain and long travel distances.

"Vaccination teams need to go directly to these areas and administer vaccines. If necessary, special allocations should be provided," he said. At present, children are being vaccinated at the school.