US sends 500,000 dengue test kits

The United States is stepping up support for Bangladesh’s dengue response with 500,000 rapid test kits, seeking to strengthen early detection as the outbreak takes a deadly toll.

The country has recorded 245 dengue deaths this year, with September alone accounting for more than 60 percent of the fatalities.

The American-made Dengue NS1 rapid diagnostic kits were supplied under the US government-funded STRIDES Activity as part of the America First Global Health Strategy, the US Embassy in Dhaka said in a media statement on Thursday.

US Chargé d’Affaires Trishita Maula formally handed over the kits to Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain at Kurmitola Multicare Specialised Hospital in Dhaka.

The US delegation later visited the hospital’s emergency room, dengue isolation ward and diagnostic laboratory, observing healthcare workers treating patients and reviewing US-supported diagnostic equipment in use.

The shipment comes as dengue cases climb across both urban and rural areas, putting further pressure on Bangladesh’s health system. �" bdnews24