Bangladesh Calls For Inquiry As Measles Death Toll Tops 500

DHAKA, May 24 (Bernama-dpa) -- Bangladesh has asked the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct a preliminary inquiry about the country's worsening measles situation that has left more than 500 children dead and many others infected, a special adviser to the prime minister said on Saturday, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

"We have informally requested the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct an independent inquiry to determine why the measles situation deteriorated at this point," Ziauddin Haider, the prime minister's special adviser on health affairs, told reporters in Dhaka. The outbreak started in March.

He said the UN agency responded positively.

The government reported the deaths of 13 more children in the 24 hours ending Saturday morning, raising the death toll to 512 since the outbreak began. 

Among them, 86 children were confirmed to have measles infections, while the remainder died with symptoms, an official handout said, adding that more than 62,000 children have been hospitalised nationwide with measles symptoms since the outbreak began.

The government's measures came days after a UNICEF official in Dhaka said at a news conference that the agency had sent five letters to the previous interim administration, headed by Muhammad Yunus, warning that the measles situation could deteriorate.

Many political parties and social organisations have criticised the interim administration for not taking adequate measures to address measles vaccine shortages. 

They have also demanded punishment for those responsible for the deaths of hundreds of children suffering from measles symptoms.

-- BERNAMA-dpa