Measles outbreak leaves 89% of families in debt, 61% draining savings: study

A survey has laid bare the financial toll faced by families amid Bangladesh’s measles outbreak, alongside the grief of losing a child to the disease.

The assessment, covering nearly 3,000 families, found that around 89 percent had to take on debt to cover measles treatment costs.

Six in every 10 families, or around 61 percent, also had to dip into their savings to meet treatment expenses.

The survey was jointly conducted by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Releasing the findings in a statement on Monday, the organisations said the survey covered 2,746 families who sought treatment at 12 government medical colleges and district hospitals nationwide, aimed at assessing the outbreak's social and economic impact and extending financial support to affected families.

Among patients from the surveyed families, 75 percent were under four years old, 19 percent were aged 5-17, and 6 percent were 18 or older.

The statement said each family spent an average of Tk 16,000 on treatment and related costs.

To cover these expenses, 4 percent of families sold their assets, while around 3 percent relied on donations.

All surveyed families said they needed financial support to recover from the toll.

Medicine ranked as the most urgent need, cited by 35 percent of families, followed by water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support at 33 percent and food assistance at 22 percent.

Among families that disclosed occupational details, 78 percent worked in the informal sector, earning between Tk 6,000 and Tk 20,000 a month.

Many lost income, and some even their jobs, after spending prolonged periods at hospital caring for a sick child or family member.

Hazera Khatun of Rangpur travelled to Dhaka's Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in June with her 11-month-old daughter for measles treatment, which has already cost the family more than Tk 70,000.

Hazera said that while treatment at government hospitals is free, additional costs pile up outside it. "Just getting to Dhaka by ambulance cost us around Tk 20,000."

"We have to buy food every day, pay for medical tests, and cover other daily expenses on top of that."

"I've already borrowed money from relatives. My husband works in Saudi Arabia, but he hasn't received his salary this month, which has made our situation even harder," she added.

Based on risk criteria set by the survey, 2,400 of the worst-affected families have been selected to receive emergency cash support of Tk 10,000 each, the statement said.

BDRCS Secretary General Kabir M Ashraf Alam said, "This assessment shows many families are facing not just a health crisis, but a major financial one too."

"As part of our emergency response, we are providing cash assistance to the most vulnerable families while continuing awareness activities in communities."

IFRC Head of Delegation in Bangladesh Alberto Bocanegra said, "The impact of this measles health emergency isn't confined to hospitals alone. Many families have faced serious financial strain while caring for a sick child or other family member."

"These findings show that in public health emergencies, both humanitarian assistance and strong social protection are essential. Our response must be guided by evidence," he said.

With support from the IFRC and partners, the BDRCS is assisting the government's nationwide measles vaccination campaign.

More than 1,000 Red Crescent volunteers are working in the field to raise community awareness, support vaccination centres and encourage people to get vaccinated, as per the statement.