Ensure free dengue test

Bangladesh has been reporting more than 500 hospitalised dengue patients every day. The mosquito-borne viral disease has also killed 93 people this year so far, 46 of whom died this month. The sudden increase in dengue infections has created panic among the residents of Dhaka city, where majority of the cases are being reported. Hospitals in the city are currently overwhelmed with patients, and long queues are forming at private hospitals and diagnostic centres. The cost of dengue treatment and test, however, has pushed people of low- and fixed-income groups into difficulty. The treatment cost for a dengue patient is reported to have reached as high as Tk 50,000 in some private hospitals.

The government has set the cost of the NS-1 antigen test, used to diagnose dengue, at Tk 100 in public hospitals and Tk 300 in private hospitals. This means people are not getting free dengue testing facilities at public hospitals. Most private hospitals, on the other hand, are not following the government decision and charging more for dengue tests. People are already in dire straits due to rising commodity prices. Therefore, free dengue testing and treatment must be ensured. The authorities concerned should make dengue tests free at public hospitals and reduce fees for all other relevant tests of dengue at private hospitals. What is also of utmost importance is that they should step up measures to contain the ongoing dengue outbreak.

Afroza Sheikh,

Dania, Dhaka,

Ilcbd2008@gmail.com