Measles outbreak highlights need for child-friendly urban planning: BIP

Ongoing measles outbreak across the country has exposed the urgent need for child-friendly urban and regional planning, according to the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP).

Highlighting the present condition, the organization called for coordinated action by health authorities, urban planners and local government institutions to safeguard children's health.

In a statement issued on Thursday (August 6), the professional body said safeguarding children's health extends beyond hospitals and healthcare facilities, stressing that safe living environments, planned neighbourhoods and sustainable urban and rural development are equally critical to protecting child health.

Expressing deep concern over the rising number of measles infections and child deaths, BIP urged authorities to complement medical care and public health interventions with long-term investments in healthy, safe and liveable communities.

According to the institute, child health cannot be ensured through clinical services alone. Access to safe drinking water, sanitation, quality housing, green and open spaces, safe mobility, pollution control and affordable public healthcare must be integrated into planning policies to build resilient communities.

BIP warned that children living in densely populated and unplanned urban areas face significantly higher health risks. It called for adopting a child-sensitive planning framework that prioritises children's health, safety and well-being in urban, regional and rural development strategies.

The institute also stressed the need to improve access to quality healthcare for children in remote rural areas, while calling for stronger collaboration among local governments, health authorities, planners, engineers, environmental experts and other stakeholders.

Describing the current measles outbreak as a critical wake-up call, BIP said protecting children's right to grow up healthy requires equal emphasis on quality healthcare, preventive public health measures and safe, well-planned residential environments. Ensuring child welfare, it added, should be viewed as a shared responsibility spanning public health, urban planning and regional development.

Bangladesh has been battling a measles outbreak since March 15. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 122,763 suspected cases and 15,272 laboratory-confirmed infections had been reported nationwide as of July 25. Authorities also recorded 721 suspected and 95 confirmed measles-related deaths, while the number of deaths among patients showing measles symptoms rose to 840 by August 1.

Earlier DGHS assessments found that 74 percent of infected children had not received a single dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine, underscoring persistent immunisation gaps.