Experts warn that the dengue situation could become severe

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News Desk:
In Barguna, 9,000 people have been infected with dengue in the first eight months of this year. So far, 65 people have died, the highest number of deaths among all districts in the country.

Across Bangladesh, dengue cases this year have exceeded 77,000. Among them, 22,000 people were infected in the capital, Dhaka. Although 65% of infections occurred outside the capital, in other districts and upazilas, there has been little effective action to control mosquitoes. Even the city corporations are not taking the issue seriously enough.

Dr. Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said that in the next 30 to 40 years, dengue will become a serious health problem in rural areas. It will not be possible to stop it only at the municipality or union level.

Entomologist and Jahangirnagar University professor Dr. Kabirul Bashar said that most dengue control programs are for show rather than real impact. The Aedes and Culex mosquitoes have different life cycles and behaviors, so only scientific methods can effectively control them. Unfortunately, city corporations do not seem to understand this.

This month, dengue infections have increased across the country. The number of cases and deaths is rising daily. Despite repeated warnings, proper measures have not been taken.

In the Dhaka South City Corporation area, the number of dengue deaths is higher, but the authorities claim that some of these are due to data errors. Chief Executive Zahidul Islam said that due to a shortage of staff, regular spraying and medicine distribution are not possible. They are now planning special programs to involve citizens and civil society in mosquito control efforts.

Experts have warned that the dengue situation could become even more severe in the coming days. The spread of Aedes mosquito–borne diseases is unlikely to decrease even before winter.