Don’t downplay dengue
On one hand the two city corporations of Dhaka city are competing with each other in their respective public awareness programmes, while on the other hand the number of dengue patients is on a steady increase.
Whether the government admits it or not, the fact remains that dengue has taken on alarming proportions. An official of the city corporation told the court that they can control dengue if it is as a normal level. But if it becomes an epidemic, the health ministry has to take charge. However, the health ministry says that killing mosquitoes is not their responsibility. They are responsible for providing healthcare and medical treatment to the patients.
The minister and the two mayors’ statements are contradictory. And there are some who don’t hesitate to point an accusing finger at the media. It is as if the news reports have encouraged the mosquitoes to come and breed in Dhaka city and attack the people here. Actually all these are attempts to cover up their failure. Rather than trying to find a scapegoat, if the two city corporations carried out the responsibilities bestowed upon them, the anxiety sparked of by dengue would have been assuaged to an extent.
Tests conducted by icddr,b (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) have revealed that the insecticide used against mosquitoes by the two city corporations is ineffective. It does not kill aedes mosquitoes. On 22 May icddr,b submitted a report to both the Dhaka city corporations. Following the report, Dhaka North city corporation stopped using the insecticide Limit Agro Product, but Dhaka south city corporation continued to use it, claiming it to be effective.
If it was effective, then why are so many people suffering from dengue? Prothom Alo and other news outlets for quite some time have been reporting on dengue, but the city corporation could care less. They just continue using the insecticide which is proven to be ineffective. They even overlooked the Supreme Court’s directives. Finally on Thursday, a high court bench summoned the chief health officer of Dhaka South city corporation and ordered him to speedily procure effective insecticide to kill mosquitoes.
The people do not want to listen to the ministers and mayors about mosquitoes. They want results. Normally dengue spreads from July to October, meaning we are still at the initial stage. Those who have been affected by dengue must be provided with immediate treatment. But the dengue patients must also be kept away from others in hospitals and at home so that the disease does not affect others in their proximity. A hospital in Dhaka keeps the dengue patients separately and under mosquito nets, but the other hospitals do not.
It is also important to destroy aedes mosquito breeding grounds. More than in homes, aedes mosquitoes generally breed more in schools, coaching centres and markets where there are more people. Just spraying insecticide doesn’t free an area of mosquitoes.
The city corporation must follow the court orders immediately and procure effective insecticide. Legal action must also be taken against those who are responsible for the ineffective insecticide. No one has the right to play with people’s lives.