Bangladesh, June 22 -- hile the nation continues to be swept up by World Cup fever, we must make sure not to turn our attention from the deadly measles outbreak that continues to take lives - most of them very young - unabated. On Thursday, the total number of fatalities touched the devil's number, 666 (counting both suspected and confirmed cases, as advised by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group and the National Verification Committee).

It is a sobering reminder of how manageable disease has run riot thanks to gaps in routine immunisation programs adding up over the years, compounded by the holdover of a special 'catch-up' campaign,that was finally held after the outbreak had already spread to some 58 out of the country'...