The financial toll of the ongoing measles outbreak has been devastating for affected families, with nearly nine in 10 having to borrow money and six in 10 exhausting their savings to cover treatment-related costs, according to a new assessment.

Conducted by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the assessment found that the economic burden of the outbreak extends far beyond hospital care, even though treatment at government hospitals is free.

Based on a survey of 2,746 measles-affected households whose members received treatment at 12 government medical college and district hospitals between May and June, the assessment found that 2,442 households, or 88.9 percent, had to borrow money to meet treatment-related expenses.

The survey was conducted to identify 2,400 of the most vulnerable families for emergency cash assistance (Tk 10,000 each family) and assess the socio-economic impact of the measles surge.