Dengue Control Must Go Beyond Campaigns

Dengue is once again spreading faster than our efforts to contain it. According to Directorate General of Health Services data, 50,276 cases were recorded by September 12, the highest figure for the same period in three years. Cases nearly tripled in June from May, rose almost threefold again in July and more than doubled in August. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a three-month nationwide dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign on Saturday and called on young people, students, volunteers and citizens to join the fight. We welcome the initiative. However, the latest figures also show why dengue control must go beyond campaigns.

The steady rise in cases suggests that our approach remains too reactive. Bangladesh recorded 17,845 cases by September 12 in 2024 and 36,927 during the same period last year. This year, the figure has already crossed 50,000, while 143 people have died. The emergence of DENV-3 as the dominant serotype adds to the concern. More importantly, Aedes mosquitoes breed in stagnant water long before hospitals begin filling with patients. If authorities wait for cases to rise before intensifying prevention, each monsoon will bring another difficult battle. Thus, the real test of dengue control lies in what happens between outbreaks.

The consequences of this reactive approach are felt far beyond hospitals. Dengue means lost income, medical expenses and anxiety, particularly for low-income families. A rickshaw puller or day-labourer may lose several days of earnings while caring for a sick family member. Delays in testing at public hospitals can also force families to use costlier private facilities. Moreover, a sudden rise in patients puts pressure on hospital beds, testing capacity and health workers. Therefore, preventing infections early is not only cheaper for families but also less burdensome for the health system.

The current campaign should therefore become a platform for building a permanent prevention system. City corporations and local administrations should map high-risk areas, inspect them regularly and remove breeding grounds from drains, construction sites, abandoned properties and public spaces. Health authorities should publish regular data on infections and hotspots so resources can reach emerging risk areas quickly. Public hospitals need timely testing, adequate beds and essential medicines, while low-income patients need affordable treatment. Meanwhile, students, Scouts, BNCC members and volunteers can support organised cleanliness drives with clear local targets. Citizens also have a responsibility to remove stagnant water from homes, schools and workplaces.

We expect the campaign to leave behind more than awareness. Its success should be measured by whether high-risk areas receive regular inspections, whether breeding grounds decline, whether infections are detected earlier and whether public hospitals can respond quickly. Recurrent hotspots should receive continued attention after the three-month campaign ends, with responsible agencies held accountable for their performance. The Prime Minister has taken a timely and commendable initiative. Now we need to turn that initiative into a year-round system of prevention, surveillance and care. Only then can we break the cycle of waiting for dengue to surge before acting.