Syed Shemul Parvez :
The Dengue situation is going to be another panic for the residents of capital city with COVID crisis.
The number of hospital admissions for treatment of Aedes mosquito-borne dengue patient is increasing in an alarming rate day by day.
It is learned that Dengue patients have been stressed to get the proper treatment in the public hospitals in the city as the major facilities are loaded with Covid-19 patients.
Besides, most hospital beds and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have been taken by the coronavirus patients, making it difficult for dengue patients to get admitted to a facility
The growing number of dengue cases since last month has been an additional pressure for the hospitals.
As a result, most of the city dwellers are in serious panic realizing the gravity of the situation. They are really scared and confused as to whether it is corona, dengue or the common flu? It worries all the inhabitants. Moreover, when people go to the doctor, they have to hear about the corona and dengue test results.
At present, more than 10 patients are being admitted to the hospital every hour.
The two city corporations have said that they will work to kill Aedes mosquitoes by increasing their manpower. However, experts say that it would have been easier to deal with dengue if preparations had been made before the start of the season.
Dr Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist of Jahangirnagar University, told the New Nation that Aedes larvae were found in every ward of the two City Corporations in the city. Somewhere the density of mosquitoes has doubled. The number of dengue patients in the capital may increase in August than in July.
Two city corporations have started killing mosquitoes on the news of increasing dengue outbreak. This is a clear indication that untimely mosquito control measures have not worked, he added.
However, Dr Kabirul suggests that to control dengue situation, every inhabitant of the city has to come forward to assist the city corporation. A social committee also may be formed by some local’s youths with the help of councilors. Without connectivity of locals, it is not possible to control the situation by government alone.
City corporations will also have to inform people about the Aedes mosquitoes and have to encourage them to destroy all breeding sources, he said.
HM Nazmul Ahsan, Associate Professor at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital, said if a person is infected with both dengue and Covid-19, the situation may turn critical. Doctors will also struggle to handle patients.
It is therefore very important to pay full attention to destroy all sources of Aedes mosquitoes, he said.
When contacted over phone about the dengue treatment at DMCH, Dr Nazmul Haque, Director of the hospital told the New Nation that they are working with covid-19 patients only according to the guide of government. But if we get any patient who have both dengue & corona syndrome, we must treat them, Dr Nazmul added.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said that Aedes mosquitoes, dengue and chikungunya must be prevented by building various social movements for well-being.
There is no substitute for a healthy environment for wellness, and to ensure a healthy environment, people from all walks of life need to be involved in the social movement for clean-up activities, he further said.
Chief Health Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Brigadier General Md Zobaidur Rahman said since April they have been issuing letters to all government, semi-government, autonomous, private organisations and educational institutions to take necessary steps so that Aedes larvae do not get any suitable place to breed.
In the last 24 hours, a total of 218 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country, including the capital city.
Of them, 208 were admitted to different hospitals in the capital and 10 outside Dhaka.
It is learned that the government is considering separate hospitals for the dengue patients. According to the health minister, the authorities have primarily identified several hospitals to treat dengue patients.
The selected hospitals include Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital at Tongi, Lalkuthi Hospital, Railway Hospital, and several others.
In 2000, 93 people died when the tropical fever was reported for first time ever in Bangladesh.
