Speakers at a roundtable meeting, organised by Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA), on Sunday expressed concerns about discrimination faced by the general public in dengue mosquito control efforts across the country.
They accused authorities of limiting the use of necessary mosquito control sprays primarily to affluent areas, while underdeveloped regions and slums receive little or no attention.
The meeting, held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka, focused on increasing public awareness and discussing measures to combat the growing dengue crisis.
Participants highlighted the disparity in mosquito control efforts, with the spraying of insecticides being irregular in poorer neighborhoods, despite repeated requests from residents.
Prof Dr Md Zafrullah Chowdhury, Vice President of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, attended the meeting as chief guest. He talked about severity of dengue fever in tropical regions.
He explained that the disease, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, can cause a range of symptoms from mild fever to potentially fatal conditions, including Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Dengue Shock Syndrome. Dr Zafrullah urged for immediate preventive measures and the introduction of vaccines to address the growing outbreak.
Prof Dr Md Humayun Kabir Talukdar, Registrar of the Bangladesh Medical Education Accreditation Council said 465 people had died from dengue by the end of November 2024, with over 90,000 cases reported.
