Dengue needs to be taken seriously before time runs out

AMID growing cases of dengue fever the Directorate General of Health Services said, 194 dengue patients were hospitalised across the country on Thursday. With this, the number of confirmed cases this year reached 2,292. Most of the patients requiring hospitalisation this year had been infected before. Experts said many of the patients were suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever, a rare complication characterised by high fever and damage to blood vessels. Such patients can die if treatment is not provided immediately.
Most of the dengue patients this year are being infected by the Dengue variant that wreaked havoc to the country in 2019. This variant can cause much trouble if the patient was infected by any of the other dengue variants in the past. But early detection of the infection and immediate hospitalisation can significantly lower the risk. The Dhaka North and South City Corporations which bear the responsibility to control mosquitoes should take the blame for their late response to the menace. They have started campaigns and drives to clean the courtyards and homesteads in the capital after Aedes mosquitoes, carriers of dengue, have bred in dangerous proportions.
Most of the dengue patients this year are going to private hospitals because the government hospitals like Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Mugda Medical College and Hospital are overburdened with Covid patients. The number of hospital beds for dengue patients needs to be increased as the situation is taking a turn for the worse. Many private hospitals are not well-equipped like the government hospitals to treat dengue patients. Health Minister Zahid Maleque earlier said they planned to have six hospitals dedicated for dengue treatment and the required manpower was being managed, but the plan is yet to materialise.
Patients with classical dengue can get better by taking treatment at home. They usually have symptoms such as body rashes and high temperatures. But patients should be hospitalized urgently if they have abdominal pain or suffer from bleeding. All patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome should be hospitalized immediately. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic the government should also take the dengue menace seriously and equip the public and private healthcare systems with adequate facilities and make those accessible to all. Besides, ward councilors, local community people and business entities should make city dwellers aware of the need to ensure cleanliness and destroy breeding grounds of Aedes larvae.