Dr. Matiur Rahman & Shishir Reza:
Millions of people are infected with dengue fever every year around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) says dengue is caused by mosquito bites in and around tropical countries. Dengue is caused by the bite of Aedes female mosquito. These mosquitoes are born in frozen clear water. These mosquitoes bite during the day time. Dengue is now endemic in more than a hundred countries of the globe. The WHO describes it as the ‘fastest spreading disease’. According to a study, about 390 million people are infected with dengue every year.
WHO mentioned that the incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. A vast majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild and self-managed, and hence the actual numbers of dengue cases are under-reported. Many cases are also misdiagnosed as other febrile illnesses.
The World Health Organization also mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic is placing immense pressure on health care and management systems worldwide. WHO has emphasized the importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat vector-borne diseases such as dengue and other arboviral diseases during this crucial period, as case numbers increase in several countries, exposing urban populations at highest risk for both diseases. The combined impact of Covid-19 and dengue epidemics can potentially result in devastating consequences for the populations at risk.
The first dengue fever in Bangladesh was detected in 2000. At first, however, this fever was caused by many people in Dhaka at the same time, hence the name ‘Dhaka Fever’. However, health experts tested it and identified it as dengue fever. Later, the disease spread to different districts outside Dhaka.
Dengue infection is now on the rise in Bangladesh along with coronavirus infection. Health experts have warned that the situation could escalate if dengue is not brought under control quickly at a time when coronavirus infections are on the rise.
According to the Department of Health as on second August 2021, a total of 742 dengue patients are currently being treated in various government and private hospitals in the country. Of these, 618 are in Dhaka. More than 98 per cent of dengue patients admitted to the hospital are in the capital Dhaka. So far this year, 2,225 patients have been infected in Dhaka. And outside Dhaka this number is 6. In 2020, 1,405 people were infected with dengue, and in the first seven months of this year, 2,292 people were hospitalized with dengue.
In this circumstances, the public health experts opined that the rate of coronavirus infection is on the rise, many people around are being infected, so someone’s fever is actually assumed to have covid-19. Tthe problem was due to the fact that the symptoms of fever were common in both Covid-19 and dengue cases. They have also mentioned that the situation could be such that it may be difficult for the health department to handle if the dengue cases rise along with covid-19 cases. It will become a major threat to human life. Health experts believe that the country’s health system is gaining momentum to cope with the cowardly situation.
Those who have already been infected with dengue need intensive care like covid-19 patents. The health department of the government should take initiatives for tests of dengue free of cost or at low cost. Doctors, nurses and other service providers are also needed to train up properly. Diagnosis and treatment facilities for dengue should also be available at division and district levels to reduce pressure on hospitals in capital city.
However, to deal with the dengue situation, there is no other way but to stop the infection. In that case action must be taken very quickly. Experts says it is the responsibility of the city corporations and side by side citizens should be aware up to clean their home and around. If public awareness was not built up, using of pesticides to kill mosquitoes, dengue would not come under control.
Dengue is such a problem that neither the government nor the city corporation can control. But the government and the City Corporation or paurashava needs to formulate proper strategies to prevent spread of mosquitoes and dengue. People’s involvement is crucial in this regard. Dengue control is never possible without the involvement of citizens.
(Dr. Matiur Rahman is Research Consultant, Human Development Research Centre and Shishir Reza is Associate Member, Bangladesh Economic
Association
