Dengue worsens, mayors fail to control mosquitos
The number of dengue cases in the first six months of the year is giving rise to fear of yet another health hazard.
The manner in which patients and the death toll are increasing in June even before the dengue season has started, has led public health experts to advise everyone to prepare immediately for dengue preventive measures similar to those required to avert an epidemic.
What’s concerning is that this year in Dhaka there are four to five per cent more Aedes larvae during the pre-monsoon season than that of last year’s monsoon.
Survey results of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) indicate that the two city corporations in Dhaka lack effective strategies to destroy Aedes mosquitos, the carrier of dengue. The city mayors haven’t learnt anything from the dreadful experience of dengue back in 2019.
While the number of dengue infection in the country broke all records in 2019, highest number of dengue death was reported in 2022, as per the information derived from DGHS.
As many as 7,978 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals in six months starting from January to June this year. During the same period, 47 people died of this infection. Yet the count of infected patients admitted to hospitals during the first half of last year, the year of highest death toll, was just 1,089 with a single death to report.
The country saw highest number of dengue cases in 2019. Even in that year, there were just 2,208 dengue patients to report in the first six months.
The dangerous statistics of the first six months is enough to testify how far the dengue outbreak can escalate during the peak season of July, August and September this time as well as how much pressure can be created on the health system because of that.
Dengue is spreading not only in Dhaka but also outside of the capital. Is DGHS prepared to face this pressure of dengue? Will the people have to move frantically in search of a hospital bed, ICU or platelets this time as well?
Treatment of those suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome is expensive. To bear the cost of dengue treatment in this time of high inflation would be catastrophic for the poor and middle class.
Now the burning question is why such a huge risk was created for the health system as well as the public health? How will the two city corporations of Dhaka avoid this liability? Why are there more Aedes larvae found in the pre-monsoon season this year compared to last years’ full monsoon?
Whenever a country is plagued by dengue, it never fully recovers from it. There’s no alternative but to prevent Aedes mosquito from breeding if dengue is to be kept in check. Controlling Aedes mosquito isn’t an issue relevant only in the monsoon, rather an activity running throughout the year.
Though dengue has been there in the country for more than two decades, no effective or integrated action plan to control Aedes mosquito has yet been formed. Whenever the dengue outbreak turns worse, some steps are taken just for show.
And then everything stops when it subsides. Aedes mosquito prevention without a scientific programme throughout the year with of citizens’ involvement, is nothing but words.
Why will the citizens fall ill or die due to the failures of the mayors? It’s high time to take effective steps for all-out preparation to tackle dengue and destroy Aedes.