Dhaka: Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has announced that necessary measures will be formulated through an integrated action plan in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to combat dengue. He emphasized the need for cooperation among all relevant institutions, including the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to effectively tackle the dengue threat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr Moyeen made these remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a workshop titled "Strategic Action Plan for Dengue Prevention" held at a city hotel. He underscored the importance of strengthening preventive activities at the field level, noting that prevention is more effective than cure. The minister highlighted the urgency of taking necessary measures before the situation worsens during the peak dengue period of August to October.
Dr Moyeen pointed out that while the current number of infections and deaths is slightly lower compared to the same period last year, there is no room for complacency. He noted that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recently launched a three-month prevention and cleanliness campaign and issued directives to curb dengue spread nationwide. By participating in awareness campaigns across all 64 districts, the Prime Minister is encouraging the new generation to engage in social transformation.
Highlighting the long history of dengue, Dr Moyeen mentioned that it is not a new disease, as people have been battling it for nearly 2,000 years in various parts of the world. He stressed the importance of reviewing past experiences and leveraging local realities, environmental factors, and modern technology to formulate effective future strategies.
The event was presided over by Secretary of the Local Government Division Md Shahidul Hassan. Iffat Mahmud, Senior Operations Officer and Project Task Team Leader at the World Bank's Dhaka office, attended as a special guest. The workshop saw participation from officials of the Local Government Division and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, icddr,b, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), IEDCR, NIPSOM, the Department of Meteorology, and different city corporations and municipalities.