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Published : 05 Apr 2026, 01:00 AM
Two major hospitals in Dhaka have stopped admitting children with measles symptoms due to a shortage of beds, as cases continue to rise.
Authorities at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute and Maternal and Child Health Training Institute, popularly known as Azimpur Maternity Centre, say the surge in patients over the past few days has overwhelmed their capacity.
At the Shishu Hospital, the country's premier paediatric facility, four children have already died from the disease.
Director Md Mahbubul Hoque confirmed that although they have dedicated an entire 54-bed ward to measles, 64 patients are currently crammed into the space.
"We simply have no more room. In the last two days, we’ve had to advise nearly 50 families to seek treatment elsewhere," he said, noting that 172 measles patients have been treated at the institute so far.
The situation is equally dire at Azimpur Maternity, where authorities have been forced to open a makeshift six-bed ward despite the hospital’s primary focus being maternal care.
Director Rashidul Alam said they are now refusing new admissions to protect newborns and expectant mothers from infection.
Desperate families, many travelling from outside the capital, described a harrowing ordeal of moving from one hospital to another.
Moni Akter, who brought her 18-month-old daughter from Mirpur, said she was only admitted after "begging and pleading" with staff.
Similar stories emerged from parents arriving from Gazipur and Shariatpur, many of whom refused to leave hospital grounds despite being told there were no beds, opting instead to stay on the floors.
Families in Distress as Admissions Denied
While many children with measles symptoms were able to see a doctor in the outpatient departments, the scene at the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital turned into one of collective anguish as mothers were told there were no beds for admission.
Suman Mia, a rickshaw puller from Tangail’s Ghatail, sat in despair with his 9-month-old daughter.
"Tangail Sadar Hospital told us to come here. Now, the doctors here are telling us to go to Dhaka Medical or Suhrawardy. My daughter’s condition is critical -- where am I supposed to take her?" he pleaded.
Nearby, Asma Akter, who travelled from Manikganj with her 1-year-old son, was in tears. "They have refused us here. My husband has gone to Suhrawardy Hospital to see if they have a bed. We are poor people; where else can we go?"
Concerns over Cross-infection
Health experts have pointed to the ease of transmission as the primary driver behind the nationwide surge.
Assistant Professor Sumana Khandaker Shimu of Azimpur Maternity warned that infected children are rapidly spreading the virus to others.
"The number of infections depends heavily on parental awareness," she said.
"Children with fevers should absolutely not be sent to school. Even vaccinated children can fall ill, as protection depends largely on an individual child’s immune system," she added.
A physician at the Shishu Hospital said awareness is the first line of defence against measles.
"Given the current outbreak, it would have been prudent to close pre-primary schools as soon as the surge began to contain the spread," the doctor said.
