Maharashtra measles taskforce meets today, chairperson says outbreak should not be taken lightly

Measles taskforce head Dr Subhash Salunkhe reiterated the need for Maharashtra to make measles a notifiable disease.

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Maharashtra has reported 823 measles cases and 18 deaths this year. (File)

As the Maharashtra taskforce on measles prevention and control is set to hold its first meeting Monday, its chairperson Dr Subhash Salunkhe said the outbreak of the disease should not be taken lightly. Maharashtra has reported 823 measles cases and 18 deaths this year.

“As death numbers are likely to go up, a worrisome situation has been perceived. At the taskforce meeting, we will discuss the plan of action, which includes community mobilisation and ensuring people staying in slum areas are convinced about measles vaccination. In areas where there is low vaccine acceptance and resistance, we are now trying to reach out through leaders and private practitioners. We are also looking to refine standard treatment protocols and share those with paediatricians and practitioners. The focus is on early referral,” Dr Salunkhe told The Indian Express.

“Though a majority of the cases were being reported from Mumbai initially, we are now reporting cases from various districts, including Dhule, Jalgaon and Buldhana, and cases are likely to be reported from rural areas too. Ahmedabad (in Gujarat) has reported suspected cases apart from other regions on the borders of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh,” said Dr Salunkhe, who reiterated the need for Maharashtra to make measles a notifiable disease (a disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities).

Dr Subhash Salunkhe. (Express Photo)

“Measles outbreaks are not unique to Maharashtra alone and other states are reporting suspected measles cases. We will issue a revised standard treatment protocol and take measures to mobilise community participation,” he added.

The state taskforce includes 11 members from Pune and Mumbai and instructions have been issued to each district to set up its own expert taskforce.

“Unfortunately, the health system capability is not up to the mark. Maharashtra is well known for straightforward reporting and not hiding cases – so we report ground realities,” Dr Salunkhe said.

In the last three years, the focus on the management and control of Covid negatively impacted the routine immunisation programmes in India, Dr Salunkhe and other experts observed. “This is the ground reality. The focus on Covid control diverted health systems resources and other national programmes like tuberculosis (TB) elimination, vector-borne disease control have been affected,” the taskforce chairperson said.

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“Measles outbreaks occur when the percentage of unimmunised children goes up and when it is concentrated in a specified area. Usually, it is seen in migrant populations and in areas where sanitation and standard of living are low. Measles is known for higher mortality in an area where there has been no immunisation for a longer period,” he added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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