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Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday said the government has increased healthcare facilities for dengue patients as the mosquito-borne disease is increasing sharply in the country.
"We have taken prompt steps to provide healthcare services to the dengue patients... the number of dengue patients has increased alarmingly in recent times," he said.
The discussion was held at Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital on the occasion of the birthday of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General Prof Dr ABM Kurshid Alam, Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital Director and National Professor Mahmaud Hasan, among others, addressed the discussion with Health Service Division Secretary Dr Muhammad Anwar Hossain Haqlader in the chair.
Maleque said the government has set up medical units dedicated to dengue patients at different hospitals in Dhaka city including Dhaka North City Corporation Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and Lalkuthi Hospital.
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He urged the authorities of both Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation to take prompt action for killing Aedes mosquitoes to control the rising trend of dengue disease.
"We are launching awareness campaign aiming to destroy potential breeding sources of dengue. I am urging people to keep clean both inside and outside of their houses for stopping the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes," Maleque added.
The DGHS sources said Mirpur, Uttara, Mugda, Jatrabari, Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur in Dhaka city have been identified as dengue hotspots. It said the highest number of cases has been detected in Cox's Bazar after Dhaka.
