While addressing a mass awareness campaign on dengue in the capital on Friday Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal declared a war on Dengue. We are told that in the wake of the recent outbreak of dengue infection, the government has undertaken all-out measures to control the mosquito-borne health hazard. On the other hand the High Court (HC) on July 17 observed that the two city corporations have failed to tackle the outbreak of dengue infestation which has already taken the lives of more than 20 people.
We know that the number of recorded dengue fever cases in May and June of this year was more than five times that of the corresponding months of last year. A report in this daily in early July quoted the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) saying that while a mere 370 people had been infected with dengue in the two months last year. In such situation Dengue fever is an endemic disease in Bangladesh, meaning it will remain in the country throughout the year. Attempts to pin down patterns to predict and help overcome dengue have proven largely futile in Bangladesh. While mostly children were afflicted in previous years, the patients are now more spread across different age groups, physicians and researchers say. This certainly calls for coordinated implementation of anti-dengue projects on the part of the different agencies involved.
In the wake of record-high dengue
cases, an advisory should be issued in
no time for prevention of the disease
Though we have lived with dengue for so long, apart from other mosquito-borne afflictions like malaria, the deep fear returns every year as conventional solutions have been found to be no longer effective. What is more alarming is that a new variety of type-3 dengue was found for the first time in Bangladesh. Considering the changing characteristic of the disease, departments concerned including health experts should look forward to conducting further research and forming a high-profile committee of experts to formulate a guideline to tackle dengue. In the wake of record-high dengue cases, an advisory should be issued in no time for prevention of the disease.
Dengue mosquitoes thrive in areas with stagnant water in puddles, water tanks, containers and old tyres. Lack of reliable sanitation and garbage collection also contributes to the spread the disease. So, at the household level, people need to be aware of these issues, and keep their houses clean. The best way to prevent the disease from spreading in settlements is to remove water-logging, keep the settlements always clean and properly dump bio-degradable garbage away from human settlements and use insecticide-treated mosquito nets. These are not difficult tasks.
When it comes to devising actions to curb dengue, Bangladesh still relies on whipping up community awareness which is certainly not enough to tackle the outbreak of dengue infestation. In Singapore, home owners are fined USD 147.58 if mosquito larvae are found in their homes. Following Singapore, Bangladesh should also integrate such steps in no time.