Bangladesh orders hospitals not to turn away measles patients amid rising deaths

The health authority warns hospital heads will be held responsible if symptomatic children are denied care

As the country grapples with the deepening measles outbreak, the government has instructed that no patient testing positive for the virus or showing its symptoms should be sent back from any hospital until they are cured.

Issuing an advisory on Thursday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) also ordered an increase in the number of beds in government hospitals to handle the patient influx.

Extra beds must be arranged if necessary, the advisory reads.

The health directorate asked all government hospitals to immediately implement the instructions, dictating that patients cannot be turned away even if there are no empty beds.

Patients, however, can be referred if their condition is complex and requires advanced treatment.

“In that case, the prescribed referral chain of Upazila health complexes, district hospitals, medical college hospitals and specialised hospitals must be strictly followed,” says the DGHS.

The government warned of holding the head of the concerned hospital responsible if the rule is violated.

One child died of measles and four others from related symptoms in the 24 hours until Thursday morning.

Since Mar 15, the disease has killed 39 people.

Over the same period, 194 children died with measles-like symptoms.