Bangladesh measles puts families in debt, Red Cross says

Bangladesh's measles outbreak has pushed many affected families into debt, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society warned on Monday.

At least 844 children have died and more than 112,000 people have sought hospital treatment for the preventable disease since March 15, according to health department figures.

The Red Cross groups said nine out of 10 families affected by measles were forced to borrow to cover medical expenses. They assessed 2,746 families who sought medical treatment for their children at 12 government health facilities.

Hospital care is free, but the groups said related costs can build quickly. Thirty-five percent of surveyed families needed financial support to pay for medicines, while 22 percent needed food assistance.

Many affected families come from poorer communities and rely on informal work, earning between $48 and $160 a month. The assessment found that families affected by the outbreak spent an average of more than $130 on treatment and related expenses.

Hazera Khatun, one of the women surveyed, said treatment at a government hospital was free but other costs were not covered. She reported spending about $200 to hire an ambulance to reach a hospital in Dhaka.

Many caregivers also reported losing their jobs because they had to remain in hospitals for extended periods to care for sick children.

"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.

Kabir M. Ashraf Alam, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, said the assessment showed many families were facing both a health emergency and severe financial strain.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughs and sneezes. It has no specific treatment once caught, and complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

The disease can affect anyone but is most common among children. Gaps in immunisation worsened during and after the chaos of a 2024 anti-government uprising, leaving large numbers of children unprotected.

Bangladesh, a country of 170 million people, has rolled out a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak. Children continue to be infected and die from the disease. On Sunday alone, four children died of suspected measles.