Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday called on people to adopt preventive measures against dengue and chikungunya, announcing that a nationwide cleanliness drive will start on March 14 to safeguard people from the deadly mosquito-borne diseases. ‘Deadly diseases like dengue and chikungunya have caused loss of life. But, if we all become aware, it is possible to protect ourselves from dengue and chikungunya,’ he said in a special video message to the nation.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Prime Minister emphasized that people become infected with dengue or chikungunya through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes and highlighted the need for preventive measures. Although dengue usually spreads most during the monsoon from June to October, public health experts warn that the risk is not limited to any particular time of the year. The Prime Minister urged people to keep their homes and surrounding areas clean at least once a week.
During the rainy season, Aedes mosquitoes breed in clean stagnant water. ‘If water remains stagnant for three days, mosquitoes can start breeding there,’ he stated. Quoting entomologists and public health experts, Tarique Rahman explained that the most effective way to control mosquito breeding is to keep places such as drains, ditches, and sewers clean, preventing the accumulation of stagnant dirty water.
He advised against allowing water to stagnate in flower pots, drums, buckets, discarded tyres, pits, or on the roofs of houses. Water tanks should be kept covered, and he urged people to clean the inside and outside of their houses at least once a week. Addressing the public, the Prime Minister emphasized that awareness and cleanliness are the most effective ways to prevent dengue.
The government plans to start a nationwide cleanliness campaign every week from Saturday, March 14, ahead of the monsoon. Local administrations are taking effective initiatives as part of this campaign. The Prime Minister also called upon all public representatives, including Members of Parliament, to conduct weekly cleanliness campaigns every Saturday in their residential areas with local participation.
He stressed that regular cleanliness campaigns can protect people from deadly fevers like dengue and chikungunya. The main principle of the government’s national health policy is ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ Hence, he advised not to allow dirty water to accumulate anywhere and to keep surroundings clean to protect against dengue or chikungunya.