Bangladesh faces measles testing strain as kit stock drops to 13

Health officials warn testing may halt in five to six days unless 30 WHO kits arrive within 48 hours

The availability of measles testing kits in Bangladesh has dropped to a critically low level, raising concerns over possible disruption in diagnostic services.

In Dhaka on Wednesday, officials at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) in Dhaka’s Mohakhali -- the country’s only facility for measles testing -- now has just 13 kits left, enough to process around 1,500 samples.

Each kit is used to test nearly 90 samples, while the country receives around 300 samples daily, creating pressure on the existing stock.

IPH Director Mominur Rahman, however, said a new shipment is expected before the existing stock runs out.

The laboratory in Mohakhali possesses the capacity to test over 600 samples per day.

Officials noted that stocks had previously dipped in the middle of last month before reaching the current tally of 13.

Records from the institute show that 57 kits were available in January, with an additional 70 acquired later.

Out of the 127 kits received this year, 114 have already been utilised to test 10,597 samples.

A doctor at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, speaking on condition of anonymity, said test results often take four to five days after samples are sent, sometimes stretching to a week, adding that faster results are needed in the current situation.

The IPH director said testing continues at full capacity when kits are available, but supplies have now dropped.

"We are expecting 30 kits through the World Health Organization within the next day or two, followed by another 100 kits later,” he added. “Testing will return to maximum capacity once those arrive."

According to him, measles kits have a limited shelf life of around six months, making long-term storage difficult.

“All kits are supplied by the WHO, and it takes about a month for them to reach us after production abroad,” he said.