Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Moh. Sakhawat Hossain emphasized the critical need for dengue prevention over treatment, calling for collective action from every citizen. Speaking at the inaugural session of a national training of trainers program on dengue clinical management, he highlighted that dengue is no longer a simple disease but a significant challenge for the nation. He stressed that combating this crisis requires more than just the efforts of the health ministry or hospitals; it demands the involvement of every individual in the country.
The minister described the fight against dengue as a 'total fight,' stating that unless every drain, gutter, waterlogged area, and bushy place is cleaned, victory in this battle is impossible. He noted that a single institution or individual cannot handle this crisis alone and called for a unified national initiative.
Regarding dengue vaccination, the minister mentioned that while the idea of a vaccination program is under consideration, it is extremely costly and difficult to implement. He explained that widespread vaccination would require a significant budget and that administering the vaccine every four months would put immense pressure on the country's health budget.
The minister also discussed the reasons behind the spread of dengue, pointing out that rainwater accumulates in numerous small places in both urban and rural areas, creating breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. He stressed the importance of timely identification of plasma leakage in dengue patients and urged doctors to be vigilant about patients' conditions.
The training program, led by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, is part of a structured three-month national dengue prevention and control program, reflecting the government's primary, sustainable, and clinically robust steps to tackle dengue in 2026. The next batch of the training will include doctors from private medical college hospitals and corporate hospitals, followed by continuous training at the divisional and district levels to ensure evidence-based, quality dengue management reaches every level of the healthcare system.
