Govt taking action to tackle dengue

block
UNB, Dhaka :
Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tazul Islam on Sunday said that government is taking action to tackle dengue problem this year using last years’ experience.
The minister came up with the comment while talking to reporters at the Secretariat after a meeting.
“There are mosquitoes everywhere in the world and Bangladesh also. It seems to me that we all are working for it, we are doing follow-up all the time to be updated about its status and working for it.”
According to government data, dengue had claimed the lives of 164 people in 2019. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the number after reviewing 263 out of 266 reports of dengue-related deaths.
Last year, 101,354 people were hospitalised with dengue in the country. Of them, 101,037 made full recovery.
Referring to information of World Health Organization, the minister said “vector-born disease claimed seven lakh lives last year. According to our official report, dengue claimed 43 lives. We are also alert about the global challenges. “
Informing that there are enough reserves of mosquito medicines in the country and some medicines are manufactured in the country, the minister said that the medicines which are being used
today cannot be used next year. Research has been done in many places on this issue and effort is still underway to fix it.
He said that, there are 10 million insects on earth, of which some insects are harmful to humans. When medicine is sprayed the insect which is beneficial for environment, was also killed. Balance of the environment could be ruined by this.
Besides, the minister said government has a plan to free all the rivers across the country from illegal gabbers, pollution and to bring back navigability within 10years.
Government earlier undertook master plan to bring back navigability and make pollution free of the rivers surrounding Dhaka. This time, a sub-committee has been formed to finalise framework for 10-year master plan for the Padma, Meghna, Turag and Pungli rivers, said the minister after a meeting of the committee.
He said that a master plan was approved for the rivers surrounding Dhaka and another for the Karnaphuli river while the third one is for the Padma river, Meghna, Turag and Pungli river. The minister said that as part of master plan to protect rivers from pollution, inter-ministerial plan has been undertaken.
Rajuk, Wasa and Local Government Department are working together for protecting rivers and canals from illegal gabbing. City dwellers will reap results in short time of this effort, he said.
block