The government is going to launch a three-month nationwide dengue awareness campaign from Saturday as part of an intensified initiative to prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne viral disease ahead of the peak transmission season.
The health ministry also said private hospitals and clinics will bear 80 percent of dengue treatment costs, while services at public hospitals will remain free.
The announcement came at a press briefing on dengue prevention held at the conference room of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, State Minister Dr M A Muhit and Special Assistant to the PMO Dr SM Ziauddin Haider were present at the briefing, among others.
Addressing journalists, the health minister said the campaign would continue for three months across the country, focusing on public awareness, source reduction, and coordinated action by government agencies, local authorities, healthcare institutions, and community organisations.
He said private hospitals and clinics will bear 80 per cent of dengue treatment costs, while services at public hospitals will remain free.
"Doctors' fees have also been made free," he added.
Patients will only have to pay the remaining 20 per cent, including the cost of medicines and food, he said.
According to the minister, public healthcare facilities will provide everything at no cost, and all private hospitals have been ordered to keep 10 per cent of their beds reserved for dengue patients.
Sakhawat said mobile courts would be deployed nationwide as part of a tougher enforcement drive.
Legal action, including fines, would be taken against individuals if mosquito larvae are found in rooftops, yards or surrounding areas due to poor sanitation.
"Special medicine will be used to destroy mosquito larvae, and the relevant authorities have been instructed accordingly," Sakhawat added.
He also said awareness campaign would begin on Saturday across the Dhaka North and South city corporations, alongside initiatives led by the ministry.
On vaccination, he said dengue vaccines have not yet been universally approved or fully validated.
He stressed that dengue prevention cannot be achieved by the government alone and urged citizens to actively participate in keeping their homes, offices, and neighbourhoods free from stagnant water, the primary breeding ground of Aedes mosquitoes.
The minister also announced plans to decentralise dengue treatment services to ensure timely and effective healthcare for patients outside the capital.
He said district and upazila-level hospitals would be strengthened with the necessary logistics, medicines, diagnostic facilities, and trained personnel to manage dengue cases locally.
"Patients should not depend solely on hospitals in Dhaka for treatment. We want to ensure quality dengue care across the country," he said.
Dr Muhit called on local communities, educational institutions, and social organisations to join the awareness campaign and support preventive activities at the grassroots level.
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