This year too, the number of dengue patients and deaths is increasing across the country. At the same time, the authorities are struggling to treat the growing number of patients due to inadequate facilities. In the meantime, the pressure of dengue patients has increased in hospitals and clinics. Experts fear that the dengue situation may worsen in October.
Until Sunday, the death toll from this mosquito-borne disease has reached 131, and 24,034 have been infected.
Two months ago in September, there was a warning about the danger of dengue outbreak, but no visible initiative was seen from the concerned authorities. Concern is rising among people as the dengue situation is expected to worsen in October.
According to the information of the Department of Health, the number of dengue cases is increasing every day compared to the last few months. So far, 55 percent of the patients admitted to the hospital due to dengue are from outside Dhaka.
It can be seen on the surface, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka’s Mugda Medical College Hospital, to handle the pressure of dengue patients, beds have to be arranged for patients near the stairs apart from the general ward. In these hospitals, arrangements have been made for adults and children with dengue on separate floors.
Talking to the doctors of these hospitals, it is known that the number of dengue patients is continuously increasing this month compared to the last few months. The number of patients is continuously increasing in this month compared to last month. In August this year, more than 2800 dengue patients were admitted to the hospital. And this month, more than two and a half thousand patients have been admitted so far. There are still seven days left to the end of the month.
Doctors said most of the patients are being admitted to the hospital with shock syndrome, a severe form of dengue fever. Their blood pressure is decreasing, various parts of the body are becoming somewhat immobile, vomiting, water is flowing in the body, bringing about a somewhat lethargic state.
IEDCR advisor Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed told UNB, first of all, if the number of patients increases, the number of deaths will increase proportionally. Secondly, the reasons which caused the highest death last year, have not been eliminated.
He also said that the medical system we have is not decentralized. Besides, the patients who are being identified but are not high-risk patients, are supposed to be kept in the field hospital, while the critical patients are also kept together, as a result, they are not getting proper treatment. Management is not possible due to being all in one place. As much as the doctor gives, gives saline, what can be solved by leaving the patient on the floor? So it is very important to decentralize the medical system.
He said that in many cases the patient is referred to the district or divisional hospital without first treatment at the upazila level. In the meantime, many patients lose platelets and become comatose. Analysts say that it becomes difficult to cure these terminally ill patients.
Professor Kabirul Bashar, professor of Zoology Department of Jahangirnagar University and entomologist, told UNB that Dengue patients can be treated only at the Upazila Health Complex. But instead of doing that they transfer to the district hospital or transfer to the departmental hospital. In the time it takes for the patient to become plasmacy, the platelet count drops and the patient’s condition worsens.
What measures should be taken to prevent dengue?
Professor and entomologist Kabirul Bashar said that everyone knows how to control dengue. But every time we fail to control dengue. Every time I say, we are working, doing this, doing that. But citizens are not getting results. Science-based integrated mosquito management should be implemented in the Aedes mosquito control system.
He said that the government institutions or those who are in charge of Aedes mosquito control should work with the spirit of service rather than job.
Under hotspot management, crush program should be done within 200 meters of houses where there are dengue patients. Flying Aedes mosquitoes and larvae must be destroyed. As a result, no one will be affected in that house or nearby houses.
Administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation. Mah. Sher Ali told UNB, in view of the instructions of the local government advisor AF Hasan Arif, instructions have been given to those concerned to ensure ‘coordinated and proper implementation of mosquito control activities’ in Dhaka South and North City Corporation.
He said that the number of dengue patients has increased across the country. The death rate has also increased. However, we have been implementing the necessary activities with due seriousness to destroy the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes.
Md Mizanur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation said, ‘Our health department and waste management department have jointly started conducting special cleanliness and mosquito control activities in areas where the incidence of dengue disease is high. Through this we will be able to reduce the spread of dengue disease.
Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md. Mahmudul Hasan told UNB that in addition to regular spraying of mosquito repellants to control dengue, the sources of Aedes larvae must be destroyed by cleaning. If the health department, waste management department and engineering department work together, dengue outbreak control will be possible. The monitoring team consisting of officers from various departments is properly monitoring the activities conducted in each region. Students and other citizens should be involved. Everyone should be made aware of what to do to control dengue.
Addressing the townspeople, he said, ‘Our workers clean the surroundings of the houses and sprinkle medicine. But it is not possible for our workers to work inside the house. So keep your house clean. Refrigerator, AC, flower tub, unused tires, can shells, open packets of chips, various types of open containers, roof or anywhere else should be carefully observed so that water does not accumulate.’
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has started a week-long special mosquito control program in all wards of DNCC from last Thursday (September 19) to control dengue. This special program will be conducted till September 25.
The week-long special mosquito eradication program divides each ward into different sub-blocks by visiting all the houses in each block, identifying breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes and applying pesticides and destroying them.