Government Fully Prepared to Tackle Dengue, Says Health Minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has said that the government has taken comprehensive preparations to tackle dengue ahead of the peak transmission season.

He made the remarks during a meeting on dengue preparedness and response held at the Ministry of Health conference room in the Secretariat on Monday.

The minister said dengue cases are still being detected on a daily basis, and the government is taking proactive measures without delay to strengthen prevention, treatment, and response mechanisms.

As part of the preparedness plan, dengue corners are being established at upazila health complexes across the country. A field hospital has also been kept ready at Dhaka Medical College Hospital to provide emergency treatment for dengue patients. Additional field hospitals may be set up in other parts of the country if necessary.

Sakhawat Hossain said the Society of Medicine will conduct specialized training on dengue case management and treatment protocols. UNICEF and other development partners are also providing support for the initiative.

He noted that the training programme will begin immediately, covering doctors and nurses in all seven divisions outside Dhaka as well as district-level healthcare facilities.

The minister added that sufficient stocks of reagents, testing kits, intravenous fluids, and saline are already available, while additional supplies will be procured to meet any increased demand.

Responding to a question about controlling the source of dengue, he said the government had started working with city corporations nearly two months ago to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and strengthen preventive measures.

The meeting also discussed launching a dedicated dengue monitoring application and emphasized expanding research activities related to dengue prevention and treatment.

The meeting was attended by State Minister for Health Dr. M.A. Muhith, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr. Provat Chandra Biswas, Additional Director General Professor Dr. Zahid Raihan, Director (Hospital) Dr. A.H.M. Moinul Ahsan, and other senior health officials.