Supply, price of saline to stay stable in case of a dengue outbreak: Health minister

Directives have already been issued to ensure adequate availability and stable prices of saline in the event of a dengue outbreak, Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen said, adding that both government and private hospitals have also been instructed to prepare accordingly. 

The health minister made the announcements while addressing a programme on dengue prevention at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (Cirdap) Auditorium in Dhaka on Tuesday (7 May). The programme was titled UHC Forum – BRAC Multistakeholder Consultation on Dengue Preparedness: Where are we in 2024?

Dr Samanta Lal said, "My mother succumbed to dengue just after two days of fever. I understand this pain, therefore I am deeply concerned about dengue. Since I lost my mother to dengue, I am committed to preventing a similar loss for anyone."

"I have also given instructions to hospitals to make necessary arrangements to ensure beds if dengue infection increases," the health minister further said.

"And those who need less attention should be treated at home without being admitted to the hospital," he added.

He also praised the development of a domestically produced dengue detection kit and expressed intentions to facilitate its widespread availability at affordable prices, after approval from the Department of Drug Administration.

The minister called for a collaborative effort to combat the spread of dengue, urging cooperation between the local government ministry, city corporations, and citizens. "We have some misconceptions about fogging. We will discuss this with the city corporations," he said.

Bangladesh experienced one of the worst dengue outbreaks ever recorded in 2023, with over 321,000 hospitalisations and 1,700 deaths. Dengue, once considered seasonal, is now a year-round epidemic. Forecasts predict a worse situation in 2024, with over 2,100 hospitalisations in just four months unless proactive prevention and control measures and initiatives are in place. 

The Ministry of Health has formulated a National Dengue Prevention and Control Strategy for 2024-2030. However, monitoring systems and cooperation with local communities are crucial if the strategy is to bear fruit, said experts.

Attending the programme as special guest, Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, said, "Questions have been raised about the drugs used for killing mosquitoes. Many have reported that fogging does not kill any mosquitoes.

"Moreover, we also noticed that fogging has been stopped in India as per the instructions of the High Court. I will try to discuss these issues and take measures."

Talking about the dengue vaccine, The DG said, "We have spoken to pharmaceutical companies and they said that they will start vaccine production upon receiving an order from the government."

He acknowledged the service gap of urban primary healthcare centres and appreciated the scientific community in providing updated research findings and home-grown device solutions to address the challenge.

Dr Kabirul Bashar, prof of Medical Entomology at Jahangirnagar University, provided entomological insights, emphasising new research findings on the evolving behavioural and breeding patterns of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. 

He highlighted that these mosquitoes are now thriving not only in clear water but also in contaminated sewage water. Moreover, increased artificial light intensity has extended the risk of fatal mosquito bites to nighttime. 

Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, convener, UHC Forum and chairperson of BRAC, who chaired the session, said that readiness on paper has to translate into coordinated action on the ground.

He also announced plans for broader stakeholder dialogues in dengue hotspots at district, divisional and city levels and called for a united whole-of-society effort to mitigate the emerging crisis and prevent future outbreaks.