Why are so many still dying of dengue?

For those who were hoping that there would be a significant reduction in dengue cases and deaths this month following the end of the traditional peak season (August-September), October has proved to be equally unrelenting, in a fitting nod to a year that has already broken all records of dengue in Bangladesh. It is past mid-October now, and still so many people are getting infected or dying every day. In fact, the health directorate has come up with a shocking revelation: of all the deaths recorded in the first two weeks of October, over 70 percent occurred within 24 hours of hospital admission. Reportedly, it was around 50 percent till August.

What could be responsible for this increase in hospital-related deaths? While it is a fact that most hospitals are not properly equipped to treat critical dengue patients, it is also true that patients often arrive when it is too late – when they are already experiencing the dengue shock syndrome or suffering from organ failures and internal bleeding. Which brings us to the question: why are patients coming to hospitals at the last hours? There could be two explanations: one, many people are still not aware of the true extent of danger that dengue poses, and two, many who live outside Dhaka do not have the scope to get tested as quickly as those living in the capital. Since dengue has now spread all over the country, more critical patients are now being transferred to Dhaka for lack of local treatment options. And precious time is being lost in the process, which is eventually leading to the deaths.

This has once again exposed the weaknesses of our healthcare system, where people in many areas are still deprived of much-needed services. It is really unfortunate that we have learnt so little from the Covid-19 pandemic. We urge the authorities to quickly address this situation, raise awareness among the public and adequately prepare all healthcare facilities across the country. Otherwise, the dengue situation will only get worse.