Experts for taking coordinated efforts to prevent dengue

Experts from different disciplines of knowledge today laid emphasis on coordinated efforts of all relevant organizations to curb the spread of dengue disease.

The mosquito-borne disease is gradually getting alarming shape as Bangladesh witnessed nearly epidemic situation of dengue disease, they told a meeting on prevention of dengue at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) here, a press release said. 

Save The Environment Movement organized the meeting aiming to bring all relevant organizations under one umbrella to take urgent actions in a coordinated manner to combat the killer disease.
 
 Former director of Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) Dr Benezir Ahmed, entomologist Dr Kabirul Bashar of Jahangirnagar University, Health Economist of Dhaka University Dr Rumana Haque and General Secretary of Save The Environment Movement Mesbah Uddin Suman, among others, addressed the meeting. 

Emphasizing taking comprehensive initiatives to prevent the dengue disease, Bashar said all relevant organizations should be engaged in making policies and action plans to rein in dengue disease. 

Community engagement is very crucial to prevent dengue disease, he said, adding it is impossible for a single institution to handle the menace.

Bashar urged the city dwellers to remain careful about sources of stagnant water as most of the people in the country have utter negligence to keep their surroundings neat and clean.

"The two city corporations must assign adequate number of staffers to collect information of larva of Aedes mosquito from every houses of the city ... all have to abide by rules to destroy breeding grounds of mosquito," he added. 
 
City dwellers must be cautious about stagnant water which is the main source of breeding of Aedes mosquito, other speakers said, adding that even a small quantity of water can breed Aedes mosquitoes leading to the spread of such deadly disease.

Executive President of Save The Environment Movement Dr Lelin Chowdhury made keynote presentation at the meeting. 

Dr Lelin said Bangladesh reported nearly three lakh dengue infected patients last year meaning "This is the highest number dengue cases in a single year since the mosquito-borne disease was detected in 2000."
In the past 23 years, 2.5 lakh dengue cases were reported in the country while it logged three dengue patients last year. 

Dr Lelin said sharp rise of both infection and fatality of dengue in 2023 is forcing all relevant organizations to shed light on taking concerted efforts to destroying breeding sources of dengue diseases alongside improving healthcare services.