Kit Crisis Hits Country’s only Measles-Rubella Testing Lab; 5,000 Samples Pending

A severe shortage of testing kits has crippled the Department of Virology at the Institute of Public Health (IPH), the country's sole facility for measles and rubella testing. The crisis has forced the lab to slash its daily testing rate by 75%, leaving over 5,000 samples from across the country pending.

Since January, the IPH has tested 10,597 samples using 114 kit packets. Currently, only 13 kits remain in stock. While each kit can process 90 to 93 samples—allowing for roughly 1,200 more tests—the lab is currently processing only 120–130 high-priority samples daily to stretch the remaining supply. Last month, the lab was capable of testing up to 700 samples a day.

Impact on Disease Monitoring

The backlog is hindering the government’s ability to track the spread of measles and plan effective interventions. Public health experts have criticized the government for failing to stockpile kits despite warnings of an outbreak earlier this year.

"The government failed to ensure adequate supplies at the country's only testing center," one expert noted. "While the World Health Organization (WHO) provides these kits, the authorities should have coordinated much earlier."

Government Response

Dr. Amirul Huda Bhuiyan, In-charge of the IPH, confirmed the reduction in testing but noted that 30 new kits are expected to arrive from the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office in Delhi this Sunday. These will allow for 2,700 additional tests, with another 100 kits promised shortly after.

Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Prabhat Chandra Biswas, acknowledged the limitations. "There are constraints, but pediatricians can often confirm measles through clinical symptoms are fever, red rash, cough and red eyes until the kits are available," he said.