Govt launches three-month dengue awareness campaign from Saturday

The government will launch a three-month nationwide dengue awareness campaign from Saturday as part of an intensified effort to prevent the spread of dengue ahead of the peak transmission season.

The announcement came at a press briefing on dengue prevention held at the conference room of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, State Minister Dr M A Muhit, Special Asst on Health to the PMO Dr SM Ziauddin Haider, Health Services Division Secretary Md. Quamruzzaman Chowdhury, were present at the briefing, among others.

Addressing journalists, the health minister said the campaign would continue for three months across the country, focusing on public awareness, source reduction, and coordinated action by government agencies, local authorities, healthcare institutions, and community organisations.

He stressed that dengue prevention cannot be achieved by the government alone and urged citizens to actively participate in keeping their homes, offices, and neighbourhoods free from stagnant water, the primary breeding ground of Aedes mosquitoes.

The minister also announced plans to decentralise dengue treatment services to ensure timely and effective healthcare for patients outside the capital.

He said district and upazila-level hospitals would be strengthened with the necessary logistics, medicines, diagnostic facilities, and trained personnel to manage dengue cases locally.

“Patients should not have to depend solely on hospitals in Dhaka for treatment. We want to ensure quality dengue care across the country,” he said.

Dr Muhit called on local communities, educational institutions, and social organisations to join the awareness campaign and support preventive activities at the grassroots level.

Health Services Division Secretary Md. Quamruzzaman Chowdhury said all public health facilities have been instructed to remain prepared for a possible rise in dengue infections and that monitoring mechanisms would be strengthened during the campaign period.

Officials expressed optimism that coordinated efforts involving both the government and the public would help reduce dengue infections and fatalities during the upcoming high-risk months.

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