A sudden measles outbreak has gripped Pabna, leading to a surge in hospital admissions, primarily among infants and children. Currently, 27 patients are undergoing treatment at Pabna General Hospital, including 25 children aged 3 to 12 months and two adults aged 22 and 32.
According to hospital records, 23 patients were admitted in the last week alone, seven of whom arrived within the last 24 hours. While the total number of cases in the district has reached 125, no fatalities have been reported so far.
The surge has overwhelmed the 250-bed Pabna General Hospital. The 38-bed pediatric ward is currently housing over 200 patients, forcing many to receive treatment on the floor. Measles patients are being kept in a glass-enclosed veranda to isolate them from others.
Relatives of the patients have raised concerns regarding hospital management. Smriti Khatun, whose four-month-old daughter was admitted on March 26, described the harrowing symptoms: "It started with a fever and cold, followed by red spots and unbearable pain."
Other guardians, like Sufia Begum and Shimla Khatun, complained of a lack of professional attention. They alleged that nurses and cleaning staff rarely visit the isolation area and that most prescribed medicines must be purchased from outside pharmacies.
Dr. Md. Rafiqul Hasan, Assistant Director of Pabna General Hospital, acknowledged the strain. "We receive medicine allocations for only 38 beds, yet we treat over 200 children daily. This creates a resource crisis," he stated. He added that a dedicated measles ward is being planned.
Pabna Civil Surgeon Dr. Abul Kalam Azad noted that isolation centers have been set up in all nine Upazila Health Complexes. He highlighted a concerning trend: many infected children are aged nine months or younger. "Since children are contracting measles despite the current vaccination schedule, we may need to rethink our immunization strategy," Dr. Azad said.
