With a steady increase in dengue cases and hospital admissions in Bangladesh, all hospitals are primed to treat dengue patients, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General (DG) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said.
Bangladesh saw a total of 22 deaths from dengue this year, most of whom were suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever and succumbed to shock syndrome, the DGHS director general said at a virtual press conference on Saturday.
The majority of dengue patients are located in Dhaka and are receiving treatment in various hospitals around the capital, Khurshid Alam said.
Of them, Mugda Medical College Hospital has the highest number of patients, with 147 individuals currently admitted for dengue treatment.
The DGHS director general further said that revised guidelines for dengue treatment have already been provided to every hospital and that everything, including doctors and medicines, is being supplied as per the hospitals' needs.
“Mosquito nets are being supplied to every hospital as well; although, patients are not staying inside the nets,” he pointed out.
When asked about any shortages in dengue testing, Mohammad Khurshid Alam said: “Those who are coming to us are being diagnosed. It is not possible for us to test those who are not coming. We are working to raise awareness on this issue.
“Everyone, including the media, needs to step forward, and people need to be made aware to get tested for dengue if they have a fever,” he added.
The DGHS DG further said: "Every division has sufficient preparations for dengue treatment. However, the most urgent matter is to eliminate mosquitoes."
He expressed hope that this would be successful through the combined efforts of the city corporation and the local government department.
Prof Dr Md Shahadat Hossain, director of the MIS department of DGHS informed that all information about dengue patients is being preserved.
"Arrangements are being made to monitor the data and activities of dengue patients. Hospitals have been told to collect the mobile numbers and addresses of incoming patients. Efforts are being made to increase the scope of the health directorate's dengue briefing,” he said.
“From now on, information will be collected from a total of 85 hospitals, combining the capital's 53 dedicated hospitals with an additional 32 hospitals,” he added.