Similar to Covid-19, dengue has also turned into an epidemic. Although dengue affects people every year, this year it has broken past records.
The death toll has already exceeded 700 while the number of those infected has surpassed 150,000. In the first 11 days of September alone, 27,464 people were infected with dengue while 137 people died.
Meanwhile, detection of dengue patients is time-consuming due to a lack of sufficient kit supply for dengue tests. Emergency treatment is also delayed, especially at Shishu Hospital, increasing the risk of death.
Doctors at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute claimed that due to the shortage of dengue test kits it is not possible to quickly detect dengue in patients.
Children are most at risk of dengue attack. Besides dengue symptoms, the pressure of affected children is increasing every day, including in Shishu Hospital.
According to the analysis of the data published by the Department of Health, until now 21% of the children in Bangladesh have been infected. Of the total infected, 25% of the children have died of dengue.
According to hospital sources on Monday, at least 20 poor patients are given free dengue tests every day in room 136 next to the emergency department of the hospital. But due to crisis of kits, longer waiting hours are required to get tested.
A doctor, requesting anonymity, said: “There has been a shortage of dengue test kits for the past few months. We are given one packet of kit each day containing only 40-50 kits. However, currently 150-200 patients come with dengue symptoms every day.”
“Risk of death could have been reduced if the patients with dengue symptoms are identified early and quicker action taken,” he added.
The doctor emphasized that since it’s Shishu Hospital, all the patients are children. Children are prone to getting more sick if early detection and treatment is not provided. However, with the crisis of test kits and 24 hours requiring to get lab test report, appropriate measures for treatment is delayed.
Sources said that this crisis began in August. This had caused tests being stopped for a while.
Earlier, at an event on World Breastfeeding Week on August 6, Director General of the Department of Health Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam claimed that there were enough dengue test kits in the country.
136 aged 0-20yrs die in 8 months
According to information from the Health Emergency Control Room and Management Information System Branch of the Department of Health, 136 children and adolescents between zero and 20 years of age died from dengue between January 1 to September 11 this year. They include 26 children aged zero to five years, 37 children aged 6-10 years, 23 children aged 11-15 years and 50 children aged 16-20 years.
According to the data, boys are more affected than girls, while girls are at higher risk of dying from dengue than boys. In the last eight months and 11 days, 71 girls and 65 boys have died among the affected children.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, while visiting Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, a dengue unit was seen opened with two rooms for dengue patients. Apart from this, due to the high number of patients, admissions are being taken in other units as well. Besides, there are beds on the floor outside the rooms.
Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute has a long serial in the outpatient department since 8am. Parents are waiting at the hospital with their children with multiple symptoms of dengue including fever, chills, and vomiting.
Munia Begum, a resident of Mirpur Mazar Road area, came for dengue tests with her four-year-old son. Roni, the only son, has been suffering from fever and vomiting for the past three days.
Munia said: “I am working in a private company. The child stays at my sister's house all day. Several people around their house are infected with dengue. Ever since my boy suddenly developed a fever, I have been worried whether he has dengue or not. Moreover, there has been no change in his health for three days. So, I brought him here (Shishu Hospital) to get tested."
Meanwhile, eight-year-old Mahin, who was recently diagnosed with dengue, is lying on the bed in room No 2 of the dengue ward. Her worried mother Shaila Begum is sitting next to her.
Shaila Begum said: “Her body temperature was a little high for the past few days. I measured the temperature on Saturday night and found it to be 102 degrees. On Sunday, dengue was detected. I admitted her without taking any risk. The doctor is keeping her under observation.”
According to the emergency department, 18 children (aged between zero and 18 years old) came to the hospital with dengue symptoms in the last 24 hours. Among them, three children were diagnosed with dengue.
According to hospital information, only 190 dengue patients have been identified in the last 11 days. At present, there are 113 dengue patients admitted in the 681-bed Bangladesh Shishu Hospital. Fifteen children died in the hospital from January to September.
Dr Sohail Parvez, medical officer of the dengue cell of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, told Dhaka Tribune: "The frequency of dengue is still the same as before. 20 people have been admitted today (Tuesday). They are between the ages of 0-16. The number of patients is increasing every day. Not a single bed in the two rooms of the dengue cell is empty. Many patients are being referred to other hospitals due to non-availability of beds."
He said: "We get more patients with dengue fever and shock syndrome. Unless the condition is very complicated, we do not admit them. We recommend that they be treated at home. However, most patients come with very complicated conditions.”
“There are many symptoms of dengue including vomiting three or more times a day, red discharge, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, multiple complex symptoms including shock syndrome. Children are more affected than adults and their condition also deteriorates rapidly. Especially children who are overweight are affected more by dengue,” he added.
On the other hand, regarding the reason for the high risk of children being infected and dying from dengue, he said that dengue has spread not only in Dhaka but across the country. However, more people are affected in Dhaka. One of the reasons for this is the densely populated area of Dhaka, as well as the weather. Moreover, children's immune system is lower than that of adults. As a result, dengue is spreading more among children.
In this regard, the hospital chairman, Prof Dr Jahangir Alam said that more than 150,000 people are affected by dengue. The government did not have the preparation of so many dengue test kits.
“The government will certainly cover the crisis. However, there is no shortage of test kits in our hospital. Indeed, we aren’t doing mass testing now. A dengue test is not necessary if it is only a cold or cough. But the people of our country do.
“So, now we do the tests only when the symptoms are dengue,” he added.
Emeritus Professor and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's personal physician Dr ABM Abdullah said the same about the risk of dengue infection in children.
He said: “All age groups are affected by dengue. As dengue has changed its form, the risk has also increased. Children are more at risk because they have low immune system. Secondly, they cannot express their difficulties.”
Dr ABM Abdullah said: "In any age group, dengue infection has an effect on weight. This is because the overweight body tends to have various diseases such as diabetes and breathing problems.”
Regarding the risk of death of female children in comparison to male children, he said: "Actually, this problem exists not only in children but also in adults. It is true that men are affected more but women are dying more. Women are always neglected considering the socio-economic conditions of our country so less care is given towards them. As a result, their immune system is also lower than that of men. But I don't know the exact reason why this kind of problem occurs in children."