Blame for record dengue deaths this year has to be borne by the government

When there are visibly no efforts to eliminate Aedes mosquito and larvae, to control dengue is bound to become a hope against hope.

That exactly seems to be the frame of mind of the relevant authorities in various corporations and municipalities.

According to a survey conducted by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Gazipur and Narayanganj — two most industrialised districts on the border of capital Dhaka city — have turned into breeding places of Aedes mosquitoes.

Recently experts of the DGHS visited 68 wards of Gazipur and Narayanganj city corporations and found the dwellers of the cities using big water buckets to store water for times of scarcity.

And these big water pots and containers become mosquito breeding grounds.

They also found that small water pots and containers in some houses and open spaces in both cities are responsible for the spike of the dengue vector carrier.

According to the entomologists, mosquito control measures and low or no surveillance are responsible for uptick in the Aedes larvae population.

The municipal authorities in these industrial manufacturing districts have shrugged off their responsibility to stop the Aedes larvae production.

But urbanisation ups the growth of Aedes albopictus larvae and industrialised areas turn into safe havens for the smaller human killers.

Unplanned urbanisation becomes a boon for mosquito breeding.

However, since dengue is eradicated by killing mosquitoes, city corporations, municipalities, local governments will have to take their share of blame for the record deaths from dengue this year.

This season the dengue death toll tops 400 this year.

The health ministry also has to share the blame.

They have not carried out dengue prevention activities round the year through integrated vector management.

It appears that deaths are merely numbers to the government, city corporations and municipalities as they lack any plan.

According to Transparency International, Bangladesh, there is corruption and populism everywhere in the process of mosquito management.

The relevant authorities must buy and spray effective adulticide and larvicide.

We ask the authorities concerned to be proactive against Aedes mosquitoes and stay active round the year to prevent the mosquito menace.

Dengue hotspots should be identified immediately.

The capital’s Jatrabari and Jurain areas under Dhaka South City Corporation should be brought under strict surveillance in this regard.