Misleading by example?

There is no denying that dengue would be far less of an epidemic if individuals and institutions just behaved a little more responsibly. After all, simply speaking, all it takes to prevent it is removing stagnant water from building/office premises, which we should be doing anyway to maintain their cleanliness. Yet, this seems to be a big ask, and on Monday, when a DNCC mobile court fined four state-run institutions for harbouring Aedes larvae on their premises, it was clear that we are far from where we should be even after Bangladesh witnessed the highest numbers of deaths and hospitalisations from dengue this year.

Such irresponsible conduct from public institutions sets a bad example. It dilutes the message against dengue, undermines the efforts of health authorities, and encourages similar offences by citizens. After imposing fines on the guilty companies, the DNCC mayor said, "If they had taken Tk 500 worth of measures instead of [each] committing a Tk 5 lakh worth of offence, then Aedes mosquitos would not have been bred." The message is simple, and with the dengue virus now spreading to all but four of the districts, it extends to all government and semi-government offices in the country who must lead by example in implementing preventive measures. Private offices, educational institutions, student dormitories, and citizens too must do their part.

The severity of the dengue situation this year has seemingly caught everyone off guard. The fatalities have already reached a staggering 76, even though we are yet to enter the peak season. Hospitals are overwhelmed. At the Mugda Hospital in Dhaka, for instance, there has been an unprecedented surge in incoming patients. The hospital staff, already stretched thin, is facing tremendous pressure, with patients being treated on floors and corridors. While it is crucial to increase the capacity of all hospitals, not just in Dhaka but other major cities, combating mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya depends a lot on small, everyday measures like proper cleanliness. We, therefore, urge the health authorities and all city corporations to ramp up their cleaning, spraying and awareness-raising efforts.