Govt to take steps to bring dengue vaccine, Dhaka South administrator says

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam today (16 October) said the government is giving the highest priority to treating dengue patients and will soon take steps to bring a dengue vaccine to the country.

He said this while addressing a shadow parliament session on "Measures to Prevent Dengue", organised by Debate for Democracy (DFD) at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation in the capital.

DFD Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran presided over the programme.

The DSCC administrator said public awareness, alongside government initiatives, is essential to reducing the spread of the disease.

"Dengue cannot be prevented through government efforts alone unless people become aware," he added.

He noted that a proposal would be submitted to the prime minister to use money collected through fines during dengue prevention drives to support the families of underprivileged people who have died of the disease.

Citing hawkers and auto-rickshaws as two major problems in the city, he said discussions were underway with hawkers and auto-rickshaw drivers to address the issues.

DFD Chairman Kiran said, "Dengue has become a year-round source of suffering, with its prevalence continuing to rise across the country."

Describing the struggles of lower- and middle-income people, he said, "They are struggling to bear treatment costs while patients are being treated in hospital corridors and on floors."

Citing examples from developed countries, Kiran urged the government to introduce dengue vaccination in the country as a preventive measure.

The government team from Kabi Nazrul Government College defeated the opposition team from the same college in the shadow parliament debate competition on "Public Awareness Is More Important Than Government Initiatives in Preventing Dengue".