Shawdesh desk:

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has expressed his concerns over the inadequacy of action to prevent the dengue menace across the country.

However, there is no deficiency in the treatment of dengue patients in the country, Makeque said while talking to reporters at his secretariate office in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Underscoring the need for involving mayors and councilors of municipalities and city corporations across the country, the health minister said, “We will have to curb the menace of mosquitoes first if we want to prevent the spate of dengue. And a long-term plan is needed to meet the goal.”

He said he has recently visited a hospital in his electoral area Manikganj and inquired about the health condition of around 500 dengue patients there.

Expressing his concern over the spate of dengue patients, he asked how the number of dengue patients increased in the area.

“It is a matter of great sorrow for us as over 1,100 people died of dengue in the current year,” Malaque said.

He categorically said, “There is a deficiency in treating the dengue patients in the country as we have trained up a number of nurses to accelerate the treatment. Treatment facilities, including beds at different hospitals, have been increased. Apart from this, we have set up separate arrangements for dengue patients across the country.”

The government has undertaken measures to ensure an adequate supply of saline, he said adding that his government is importing saline to meet the growing demand.

Alongside this, the government has also given permission to the private sector to import saline so that the country does not face any crisis of saline.

He also called upon the people suffering from fever to come to the hospital for immediate check-ups and said the government will have nothing to do unless it is done.