Inaccuracy in Measles information
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Mistakes are seen in the measles information sent from the Integrated Control Center of the Department of Health. There are precedents of correcting wrong information on multiple days including yesterday Monday.
Generally, the Health Department sends this news release to the media during a certain time of the day (3:30 am to 5:00 pm). But yesterday they issued the measles news bulletin late—at eight o’clock in the evening.
বিজ্ঞাপন
An official related to the Management Information System of the Directorate of Health told Prothom Alo yesterday that the data of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital was wrong for one and a half months. It was caught yesterday. There has been a delay in creating the news release to reconcile that information.
In yesterday’s press release, the total number of measles patients in Rajshahi division is 9 thousand 414 so far. Yesterday’s press release said that the total number of measles patients in Rajshahi division so far is 5 thousand 159, that is, more than 4 thousand patients were being shown earlier. Explaining the reason for this, the press release said, the number of admitted patients and the number of suspected measles patients were higher than the actual number due to numerical duplication of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, which was adjusted accordingly.
বিজ্ঞাপন
As a result, the total number of patients with measles symptoms in the country has also decreased. Previously, the total number of such patients was 57 thousand 846. Yesterday’s number was 54 thousand 911.
Additional Director General (Administration) of the Department of Health Dr. Md. Zahid Raihan told Prothom Alo yesterday, “We have taken measures so that this incident does not happen again.” I am also trying to know why the previous incidents happened.
People want accurate information during an outbreak. Public health experts say that the right information at the right time works like a vaccine. People get confused if the information is not correct. Confused people hesitate to get vaccinated. Can’t go to hospital for treatment.
Professor Bay-Nazir Ahmed, former Director of Public Health and Disease Control Branch (CDC) of the government told Prothom Alo that information is regularly given by the government as part of ‘Risk Communication’ during any outbreak, disaster or epidemic. This information of the government should be objective, clear and simple. This information is provided to gain people’s trust. This information of the government is regularly conveyed to the people by the press or mass media. It makes it easier for people to deal with the situation. People can make informed decisions. Spontaneity comes in doing something.
During dengue outbreaks, the Health Department used to provide information in specific structures. It still continues. Even during the Corona pandemic, information was given in a specific structure. That infrastructure is still there. But since the beginning, Hama’s data structure has been changed repeatedly. For example, earlier (April 3, 2026) there were 6 columns for department-wise information, now there are 12. Small changes like this happen often. Experts say this is due to not being fully prepared and not understanding the situation.
A major change can be seen in the May 10 news release. On this day, 344 people with measles symptoms and 65 confirmed measles deaths were reported. Total deaths were 409. The total death toll was 352 a day earlier.
57 people with measles symptoms and died from measles in a span of one day was unusual. In reality, the number of deaths before May 10 was showing less. On this day, the directorate explained that new information has been given by combining the data of death of Mymensingh, Rangpur and Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and the information of the concerned civil surgeon. It also mentions more typographical errors.
In some cases it appears that the information is not being provided at all. For example, the May 16 press release did not contain any information on vaccination.
Public health specialist Be-Nazir Ahmed said that the outbreak of dengue has been going on for several years. Meanwhile, the covid epidemic has become. Now there is an outbreak of measles. But it is really sad that no permanent structure has been developed for the information yet.
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