1 dies in Faridpur as 1,712 dengue patients admitted in 24 hours
Import effective anti-Aedes insecticides immediately: HC
14 days needed to complete process, city corpns inform court
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
Amid an increasing spread of dengue fever across the country and death of one more patient, the High Court yesterday issued a number of directives to the LGRD secretary and other authorities concerned to bring the situation under control.The court also directed the two Dhaka city corporations to immediately import new and effective insecticides to eradicate dengue menace. The government and the city corporations informed the court that 14 days will be necessary to test and import new insecticides.
The HC bench came up with the directive in presence of Local Government and Rural Development Division (LGRD) Secretary Helal Uddin, who appeared before it as per its earlier order to explain why the government was delaying in import of effective insecticides to eradicate Aedes mosquito in the country.
Meanwhile, the dengue situation continued to worsen with at least 1,712 patients getting admitted to hospitals across the country and the death of a patient in Faridpur yesterday.
Sharmin, 22, a resident of Madaripur was admitted with dengue fever to Faridpur Medical College hospital where she died yesterday evening, our correspondent in Faridpur reported.
According to the Directorate-General of Health Services (DGHS) data, as of now, at least 19,513 patients affected by dengue virus were admitted this year to various hospitals across the country. Of them, a total of 3,464 patients were admitted to the hospitals outsides Dhaka city. At least 14 people died of dengue, according to DGHS data.
However, according to unofficial data, at least 2,617 dengue patients have so far been admitted to the countrys largest medical facility Dhaka Medical College and Hospital alone, where 11 patients have died so far.
In yesterdays order, the High Court bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Shohrowardi directed the concerned ministries including the local government and rural development (LGRD) and health to provide adequate facilities so that the city corporations can import the effective insecticides smoothly and immediately to combat Dengue and Chikanguniya menace.
The HC also directed health secretary, directorate general (DG) of health and LGRD secretary to provide all necessary
assistance in giving licences and clearances for importing new effective insecticides immediately to eradicate Aedes mosquito, the vector of the dengue virus.
It also directed the LGRD ministry to take necessary step in importing the new insecticides and provide those at all thana and upazilla levels across the country as per their demands.
It also directed the government to keep a doctor, not less than the level of an associate professor, for 24 hours at every government hospital to ensure treatment for the patients admitted with Dengue and Chikanguniya fever. It also asked the hospital authorities to increase the number of beds for Dengue and Chikanguniya patients.
The private hospital authorities have been asked to provide treatment to the Dengue patients at a minimum cost considering humanitarian grounds.
The court also directed the government to ensure supply of kits, which are needed to detect the dengue fever at an early stage, quickly at a minimum cost to every hospital.
It also asked the city corporations to submit progress report before it on August 18, the first day of reopening of the Supreme Court after vacation. The Supreme Court will go for 15-day vacation on the occasion of on Eid-ul-Azha from August 4 to 15 and reopen on August 18. The HC bench had summoned LGRD Secretary Helal Uddin when the Dhaka South City Corporation informed the court that it could not spray anti-mosquito insecticides until the government imported the chemicals.
After appearing before the HC bench, LGRD Secretary Helal Uddin told the court that he has communicated to all the high officials of the concerned ministries to expedite the import the new insecticides. All of them assured that they would provide assistance to import new effective insecticides from abroad. Adequate licences have been issued to government and non-government institutions in this regard, he said.
We are trying to import the new insecticides within a short time with the help of foreign ministry. These will be imported after taking help from all high officials of concern ministries of the government, he added.
When the HC bench asked how many days it might take to import the insecticides, it was informed by the city corporations that a total of 14 working days are needed to complete the whole import process.
The new chemicals will be brought from China. After collecting a sample, we will conduct test and after getting positive result we will finally import in bulk. Hence, at least 14 working days will be needed to complete the procedure, the lawyers explained.
Earlier in the morning, the HC bench wanted to know from the lawyers of the two Dhaka city corporations about the delay of importing new insecticides.
They informed that the authorities concerned could not spray anti-mosquito insecticides unless the government imports it as there are many steps for getting nod to import new chemicals. People are dying following the Dengue attack, but the new effective insecticides are not brought due to the bureaucratic tangle, the HC bench observed.
Earlier on July 30, after expressing dissatisfaction over the inadequate actions by the health ministry and city corporations authorities over ineffectiveness of insecticides, the HC bench asked the two Dhaka city corporations to inform it by Thursday (yesterday) when new effective insecticides will arrive in the country. Barrister Toufiq Inam, and Advocate Sayeed Ahmed Raja appeared for the Dhaka south and North city corporations respectively.
Earlier, on July 25, the same bench of the HC gave the two Dhaka city corporations four days to take effective steps in eradicating dengue mosquitoes from the capital. The HC bench allowed the time prayer when both the corporations promised that they would conduct a combined operation and increase the dose of insecticides to curb the mosquito menace in the city.
Meanwhile, experts said the actual number of dengue patients and deaths caused by the infection are likely to be higher than those reported in the government data. Analysing different media reports and talking with different government and private hospitals in the city, The Independent found that with yesterdays deaths, the number of people who have died after being diagnosed with the disease has risen to 42. The hospitals and clinics all over the country, both government and private, are struggling to provide treatment to such a large number of dengue patients.
