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The Bangladesh government is planning a Tk 12.88 billion integrated urban health project to control mosquito-borne diseases dengue and chikungunya, the first of which has been wreaking havoc this year.
An integrated vector management unit and a central entomology lab will be founded at Dhaka Mosquito Control Office under the project to identify mosquitos that carry dengue and chikungunya viruses.
Mosquito control activities will be conducted in Savar and Tarabo municipalities along with Dhaka North and South, and Chattogram city corporations, reports bdnews24.com.
The Local Government Division has sent the proposal for the Improvement of Urban Public Health Preventive Services Project to the Planning Commission for clearance, a top official at the division said.
The proposed project is expected to be funded by the World Bank and estimated to be complete by mid-2028.
Md Sarwar Bari, director general for planning, monitoring, evaluation and inspection at the division, said the project aims at developing public health management.
LGD will implement one phase of the project to kill mosquitos while the health ministry will be tasked with completing the other phase, according to him.
The making of the proposal for the second phase was ongoing.
Sarwar said the World Bank agreed to fund more than Tk 10 billion for the project and the global lender’s board is expected to clear the financing in early September.
The rest of the fund is expected to come from the government.
Bangladesh plans Tk 12.88bn programme to control mosquito-borne dengue, chikungunya
Before the clearance of the fund from the World Bank, the project will be placed in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council or ECNEC following Planning Commission’s nod.
The government has recorded more than 54,000 dengue cases and 261 deaths so far this year, mostly in July.
The surge of the deadly dengue fever has continued in August, with 2,584 cases and 10 deaths reported on the first day of the month.
WHAT’LL BE DONE UNDER THE PROJECT
Laboratories will be set up under the proposed project to identify Aedes aegypti mosquito and dengue virus.
Through research in the labs in coordination with Bangladesh Meteorological Department, warning models and systems will be created.
Regular surveys will also be conducted to assess risks and detect vulnerable areas.
“Based on the findings, the Health Division, city corporations and others will prepare to tackle possible outbreaks,” said Sarwar.
An insectarium will be set up and larvicide and adulticide will be sprayed effectively to control mosquito population.