12 directives issued on dengue

Staff Reporter :

As the number of dengue cases and deaths continues to rise, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued 12 urgent directives on the treatment of dengue patients.

Dr. Abu Hossain Md. Moinul Ahsan, Director (Hospitals and Clinics) of DGHS, issued the directives on Tuesday.

The instructions have been sent to the directors of all medical colleges and specialized hospitals in the country, the superintendents of district hospitals, civil surgeons, and upazila health and family welfare officers.

According to the directives: dengue patients must undergo the NS1 test on an urgent basis; hospitals must ensure round-the-clock availability of necessary diagnostic tests for admitted patients; essential medicines and other supplies for dengue treatment must be available in hospitals; and if ICU support is required and available, dengue patients should be given priority.
Additionally, the directives call for the formation of medical boards, proper record-keeping of dengue patients, ensuring cleanliness, and holding regular dengue coordination meetings by hospital authorities.

According to DGHS data, since January 1 of this year, 155 people have died of dengue, while the total number of cases has risen to 38,527.
Meanwhile, Health officials on Tuesday reported 665 new dengue cases in the past 24 hours, with at least one death recorded during the period.

According to a Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) statement, of the newly hospitalized patients, 135 were in Barishal division, 79 in Chattogram division, 125 in Dhaka division outside the capital, 141 in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), 83 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), 67 in Khulna division, 19 in Mymensingh division, 14 in Rangpur division, and two in Sylhet division.

Since the beginning of this year’s outbreak, dengue has claimed 156 lives and infected 39,192 people across Bangladesh.
Last year the disease caused 575 deaths and affected 101,214 people nationwide.