Entomologists and public health experts have warned of the possibility of a severe nationwide dengue outbreak. At the same time, hospital authorities are concerned about their ability to manage the treatment of dengue patients.
According to hospital officials, admissions for various illnesses have been increasing at nearly twice the usual rate every day. Hospitals are treating about twice as many patients as their available bed capacity.
In addition to accident victims, many patients with serious non-communicable diseases are being admitted, and most of them require immediate treatment and surgery.
Hospitals in the capital are currently treating about twice as many patients as their bed capacity allows. Doctors, nurses, officers, and other staff are already struggling to cope with the growing number of measles patients.
Amid this situation, dengue cases have also begun to rise. Public health experts fear that this year's dengue situation could become extremely severe. Hospital authorities have expressed concern over their ability to handle a widespread dengue outbreak.
Managing both measles and dengue patients is also disrupting medical care for other hospitalized patients.
Doctors, nurses, and hospital staff at Dhaka Medical College Hospital—the country's largest healthcare institution—said that more than 5,000 patients are receiving treatment daily in a hospital with a capacity of 2,600 beds.
Alongside these patients, the hospital is also treating measles cases, and now dengue cases have begun to increase as well. Every day, new measles and dengue patients are being admitted.
To provide care for all these patients, many doctors, nurses, and hospital staff have had to remain at the hospital around the clock, working continuously without rest.
As of 8:00 a.m. on Friday, five people had died from measles, and 729 had been infected. By 8:00 a.m. yesterday, 139 dengue patients had been admitted to hospitals. From January 1 through yesterday morning, a total of 6,458 dengue patients had been hospitalized, and 19 people had died from the disease. However, although several people reportedly died of dengue over the past week, their names do not appear on the official list maintained by the Directorate General of Health Services' control room.
According to entomologists, residents of the capital face a comparatively lower risk of contracting dengue. Instead, Aedes mosquitoes are breeding extensively in district and sub-district areas outside Dhaka, increasing the risk of dengue transmission there.
Last year, Barguna District was identified as the country's highest-risk dengue hotspot during the nationwide outbreak. A serious increase in Aedes mosquito breeding was also observed in rural areas.
In response, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) made several recommendations for dengue control, but most of those recommendations have not been implemented.
Professor Dr. Golam Sarwar, an entomologist at IEDCR, said that a nationwide crash program is needed to assess the density of Aedes mosquito breeding. He warned that rural areas could experience widespread dengue infections this year and emphasized that dengue cannot be controlled without eliminating Aedes mosquitoes.
In Rajshahi City, Aedes mosquito breeding has reached an alarming level. According to the Directorate General of Health Services' latest pre-monsoon entomological survey, the city's Aedes breeding index is well above the World Health Organization's high-risk threshold.
Experts warn that unless effective measures are taken immediately, the dengue situation in Rajshahi could become severe during the monsoon season.
Dr. Benazir Ahmed, former Director (Disease Control) of the Directorate General of Health Services and a public health expert, said that residents of the capital are at relatively lower risk of dengue infection.
However, he warned that the dengue situation outside Dhaka could become extremely serious this year and stressed the urgent need to strengthen mosquito control efforts. Public health expert Dr. Mostaq Hossain expressed similar concerns regarding dengue control in rural areas.
Dr. Abu Hossain Mohammad Moinul Ahsan, Director (Hospitals) of the Directorate General of Health Services, said, "Initiatives have already been taken to tackle the dengue situation nationwide.
Several meetings have been held with officials from city corporations, district administrations, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), municipalities, and other relevant agencies regarding the elimination of Aedes mosquitoes. Necessary recommendations have been provided on the measures that should be taken for mosquito control."
