Govt spends Tk400cr on dengue treatment this year: Health minister

The government has spent Tk400 crore on dengue treatment so far this year, Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said.

Government hospitals are providing free dengue treatment and spending an average of Tk50,000 per dengue patient, the minister said at a roundtable on dengue prevention at a capital hotel yesterday.

He said the spending is high due to the majority of patients seeking treatment at government hospitals.

The minister mentioned that 70% of dengue patients have received treatment in the country's government hospitals and the remaining 30% at private hospitals.

Generally, two types of dengue patients are treated in hospitals: some require platelets and ICU service while some are cured only by taking medicine, he added.

Meanwhile, 11 more deaths and 2,327 hospitalisations from dengue were reported in the last 24 hours till Saturday morning.

The new figure raises the death toll to 548 and the caseload to 1,14,511 from the mosquito-borne disease so far this year.

Representatives of two city corporations, environment and education ministries, real estate trade body REHAB, and trade organisation FBCCI.

Although the Ministry of Local Government was invited, none of its representatives showed up.

The chief health officer of Dhaka South said there was no point in running around with fogger machines if sources of aedes cannot be eliminated.

"We have formed a committee to involve people in preventing dengue spread," he said.

Professor Dr ABM Khurshid Aalm, Director General of the DGHS, inquired about the measures taken at schools to repel dengue.

Manish Chakma, director (policy and operations), Directorate of Primary Education, said there are around 1,19,75,000 students under the directorate. Among them, three children have died of dengue in Dhaka division.

Representatives of the health department said 15 male children and 12 female children under the age of 12 have died of dengue so far this year.

Priti Chakraborty, director, FBCCI, suggested that schools be closed till the dengue situation wanes down.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said dengue management should be active throughout the year rather than only during a dengue season.

He emphasised the need for training those involved in mosquito spraying and urged REHAB to prevent water accumulation in under-construction properties.

Meanwhile, to protect children and to respond to the public health emergency, the Unicef is providing $2.25 million worth urgently needed testing kits, training of professionals, along with other critical supplies and services in the health and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors.