Dengue hotspots under special surveillance: LGRD minister

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Md Tazul Islam has announced that dengue hotspots across the country are under special surveillance to combat the spread of the disease.

During a session in Parliament today, the minister said that a biometric attendance system has been implemented to ensure the regular presence of mosquito control workers.

Additionally, special mosquito control drives involving teachers, students, scouts, public representatives, and imams are being conducted.

In response to questions raised by Members of Parliament, Minister Tazul outlined various measures being taken to address the dengue outbreak.

Mosquito breeding grounds are being identified, and pesticides are being sprayed using drones. Larviciding and adulticiding operations are being carried out daily in all wards of city corporations.

Moreover, immediate visits to the homes of dengue patients are being made, followed by larviciding and adulticiding activities in surrounding areas based on information from the Department of Health.

Regarding budget allocation, Minister Tazul said that Tk32 crore had been allocated for dengue control and cleanliness activities under the Annual Development Programme for the 12 city corporations, and Tk20 crore for municipalities.

An additional Tk100 crore has been allocated under the Union Development Assistance programme for addressing various issues, including disease outbreaks.

Responding to a query from a reserved female parliament member Faridun Nahar Laily, Minister Tazul suggested that the government could consider expanding the activities of the 'Dhaka Mosquito Control Office' by restructuring its organisational structure. 

This would involve creating new positions, acquiring machinery and standard insecticides, and establishing a permanent lab for mosquito pest testing.

The minister also addressed concerns regarding arsenic contamination, highlighting that 11% of the country's population is at risk. To address this, multiple projects are underway through the Department of Public Health Engineering.

By 2025, over 1.06 million arsenic-free water sources will be established, alongside other measures like deep tube wells, piped water systems, rainwater harvesting, and pond re-excavation with solar-powered filters. These initiatives aim to reduce arsenic contamination risks to 5-6% by 2025.

Furthermore, Minister Tazul emphasised the importance of birth registration, highlighting that it is free within 45 days of a child's birth.

The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act mandates parents or guardians to provide birth details to the registrar within this period. E-notifications from hospitals aid in immediate registration. Registrars, including city mayors and union chairmen, finalise registration based on received information.