Climate change playing role in dengue outbreak in Bangladesh: Experts

Climate change is playing major role in dengue outbreak in the country as it is helping in increasing the number of dengue infection cases here, say experts.

The experts came up with the statement speaking at a roundtable organised jointly by Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) and Dhaka International University (DIU) at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Monday.

Speaking as chief guest at the roundtable, Shameem Haider Patwary MP said Bangladesh is facing climate disaster actually as the climate change is affecting the public health here through spreading various diseases related to the climate.

“We have to increase community engagement in tackling the outbreaks including the dengue one. Coordinated effort is necessary to face the situation,” he said.

The lawmaker of the main opposition in parliament Jatiya Party also emphasised on carrying out study about the climate change and its effects in the country to resolve the problems.

Dr Mahfuz Kabir, Research Director at BIISS presented key-note speech at the roundtable titled ‘Water, Sanitation, Climate change and the dengue outbreak; Imperatives’.

He said climate change, absence of reliable piped water, and ineffective vector control strategies are some of the important factors influenced the global rise of dengue including in Bangladesh.

“There is a positive correlation between temperature and dengue. Meteorological conditions can considerably enhance the risk of dengue transmission depending on the local ecology. The duration of the virus incubation period will also shift as a result of climate change,” Mahfuz Kabir said.

Khalilur Rahman, former chief entomologist of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said there is influence of water, sanitation and climate change in increasing the dengue outbreak.

“The duration of winter has decreased while the raining happens in around nine months in the country. That’s why, the vector Aedes mosquito is breeding round the year and transmitting the dengue virus. As a result, the dengue has turned into endemic in the country,” he said.

Rashed Rabbi, President of Bangladesh Health Reporters’ Forum (BHRF) lamented that a task force should be formed with concerned departments of the government to intensify the anti mosquito drive in the country to tackle the dengue.

Chaired by Azhar Ali Talukder, chairman of the DORP, the programme was also addressed among others by Dr. Sheikh Daud Adnan, Deputy Director of DGHS and Mohammad Zobair Hasan, Deputy Executive Director of the DORP.