DGHS begins free dengue testing as situation worsens

Health authorities have instructed government hospitals to provide free dengue tests in a bid to tackle the rapidly deteriorating situation of the disease across the country.

The initiative, expected to help provide better treatments to patients, was announced a day after the country recorded its highest number of daily dengue fatalities in this year.

Prof Dr Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), made the announcement during the inaugural ceremony of the 5th Bangladesh HematoCon 2022 conference organised by Hematology Society of Bangladesh at a city hotel on Friday morning.

A similar free testing campaign was launched in 2019 when 179 dengue patients died across the country and the case tally stood at 1,01,354.

According to the DGHS, nine people lost their lives to dengue on Thursday– the highest in 2022. The country recorded one more death and 498 more hospitalisation from the disease in the 24 hours till Friday morning. 

Blaming the unusual rain in recent days for the deteriorating dengue situation, Prof Khurshid said the DGHS have no data on when things will get better as it is not their job. However, they are boosting efforts to tackle the crisis.

“In order to ensure proper treatment of dengue patients, instructions have been given to conduct free dengue tests in government hospitals across the country,” he said at the conference.

Required number of testing kits has been sent to district and upazila level hospitals and there is no crisis of treatment equipment in the hospitals.

““We have been asked [by authorities] to take test fees but we are keeping it free,” he added.

He also said 500 beds at the DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital at Mohakhali have been allotted to treat dengue patients if hospitalisation surges.

Meanwhile, speaking about the lower number of dengue cases outside the capital, Prof Khurshid said, “People outside Dhaka are taking fewer tests. If the tests could be done properly, the real scenario would have been revealed. But for the data DGHS have till now it can be said that more people are dying in the capital.” He also urged everyone to be aware and keep their homes and surroundings clean.

So far, 162 people died from dengue across Bangladesh this year while the total case tally stands at 41,481, according to DGHS. Currently, a total of 3,660 dengue patients, including 2,232 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.