Dengue situation concerning: Health minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has expressed deep concern over the current dengue situation in the country. 

He emphasised that while there is no shortage of healthcare services, controlling mosquito populations is essential to improve the situation.

He stated, "If we cannot contain the spread of mosquitoes, the number of dengue patients will not decrease, and casualties will continue."

Maleque made these remarks while speaking as chief guest at the inauguration of the 'Dengue Drops' app at Dhaka Medical College in the capital on Tuesday.

He explained that through the app, all aspects of a patient's condition can be assessed to determine the appropriate fluid administration promptly. The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, and during installation, it requires access to the mobile phone's camera and location. The app was developed by a team of teachers from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in collaboration with the Health Department.

According to Health Department officials, this new app allows doctors and healthcare workers to manage a patient's fluid intake effectively. It helps determine the timing and amount of fluid a patient needs. Additionally, it provides information on the availability of hospital beds, accessible to the general public. Similar services were provided during the Covid-19 pandemic through the corona.gov.bd website.

During his speech, the health minister expressed hope that the country would be able to control dengue, similar to how it managed to contain Covid-19. He stressed the importance of mosquito elimination and urged everyone to remain vigilant and maintain cleanliness in their surroundings.

11 more dengue deaths

Meanwhile, 11 more dengue patients have died, and 2,782 individuals were hospitalised across the country in the span of 24 hours until Tuesday morning. This has brought the total death toll from dengue this year to 657, with 135,916 admissions to hospitals, according to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Among the new cases, 951 were reported in the Dhaka city, and 1,831 were from various parts of the country. So far, 126,127 dengue patients have been discharged from hospitals in the country this year. Currently, 9,132 dengue patients, including 4,049 in Dhaka, are receiving treatment at hospitals nationwide, as per DGHS data. The country recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022, the highest on record since the 179 deaths recorded in 2019.