Prime Minister's personal physician and Emeritus Professor Dr ABM Abdullah has said the current situation in the country is not comparable for administering the dengue vaccine.
He made the remark during a seminar held at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on Sunday at Dr Milon Hall.
Professor Abdullah said: "The vaccine for countering this virus is not yet easily accessible. There has even been considerable debate about the vaccine itself. Consequently, I believe the conditions are not yet favourable for us to roll out the vaccine."
He said: "Around 100,000 people in the country have been affected by dengue this year. The Aedes mosquito has mutated. We advise the general public that if they have a fever, they should quickly get a dengue test. Detecting this disease early makes recovery faster."
Regarding pregnant women and children, he said: “A significant portion of dengue fatalities are women, and a substantial portion of them are pregnant. Therefore, extra precautions must be taken for pregnant women and children."
The professor said: "Antibiotics are not used for dengue that is wrong information. Dengue treatment focuses on symptoms and the specific illness with fever. If a doctor sees antibiotics as necessary, they will prescribe them. Also, not all dengue cases need platelets. Understanding the patient's condition is key."