Government hospitals across Bangladesh have been authorized to directly purchase saline from local markets in response to the saline shortage caused by the ongoing dengue outbreak.
The surge in demand has left Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) unable to meet the necessary saline supply for government hospitals.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam said: “Government hospitals are being allocated funds to buy saline directly from the local market to address this current situation.”
“For this, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) are being given to hospitals,” he made the remarks to reporters during an event at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Sunday.
Responding to a question from journalists about the shortage of saline used for the treatment of dengue patients and selling it at a higher price, Dr Khurshid Alam said: "The government company EDCL is supposed to supply saline to us. But at present, EDCL is not able to do it completely due to the increase in demand in the market. We have given instructions and money to all the hospitals in this regard. Hospitals will now take steps to buy saline from the local market. It is no longer our role to regulate the market, this responsibility lies elsewhere."
When asked about the increase in the price of dengue test kits, he said: "I do not know who is buying saline from where with a higher price. But we have enough kits. We have made arrangements for dengue testing at all places. We have adequate kits in every hospital and adequate stock of kits. But people have to come to us.”
Health Services Division Secretary Dr Md Anwar Hossain Howlader said: "Dengue has shown a concerning rise this time. We had fear about such an escalation. Consequently, I have already urged local authorities to take effective preventive measures, and they have initiated various steps. It is evident that dengue has spread across numerous districts, leading to a surge in patient numbers.”
"There are specific areas within Dhaka, particularly the Mugda region, experiencing a notable dengue incidence. We have engaged in multiple discussions with the city corporation regarding this matter," he added.
When asked about increasing the capacity of the hospital, he said: "Already 1,500 beds have been created in different places to increase the capacity of the hospital. But the problem is that a hospital that has the capacity to treat 1,000 people is not 2,000.