Every time Mosammat Mayna enters the dengue ward at Mugda Hospital in Bangladesh’s capital, sadness and fear claw at her mind. Her sister, Maria Ratna, died of dengue last month while working as a cleaner in the same ward, and her family is still reeling from the loss. Mayna, 23, has been working at the hospital for a month now, despite her fear and reservations.
Bangladesh is currently facing its worst dengue outbreak in history, with hospitals overflowing and the death toll rising. On Wednesday alone, the country recorded 24 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease. The situation has become dire as the disease has spread to all districts, including rural areas, and the number of cases this year has far surpassed previous years.
Dengue, which used to be mainly confined to heavily populated urban areas like Dhaka, has now reached every corner of the country. With the outbreak showing no signs of slowing down, concerns are growing about the ability of the healthcare system to handle the crisis. The government has been criticized for not declaring the outbreak a public emergency or epidemic earlier, and many are calling for more targeted efforts to control and eradicate the Aedes mosquito population, which carries dengue.
The severity of the outbreak has been largely attributed to changes in climate patterns, resulting in year-long breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito population. Insecticides that were previously effective against the mosquitoes have become useless due to resistance. However, the government has been urged to implement a comprehensive plan to control and eradicate the mosquito population to prevent further outbreaks in the future.
As the dengue outbreak continues to devastate the country, Mayna, who works at Mugda Hospital, fears for her own life. She regrets her decision to work in the same ward where her sister died, knowing that she too could fall victim to the disease.