Dengue outbreak: Unicef delivers medical support as cases surge in Bangladesh

DHAKA - With more than 21,000 cases of dengue reported among children under the age of 15 in Bangladesh, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Sunday said it is intensifying its support for the Bangladesh government to contain the dengue outbreak.

Unicef said it is delivering US$2.25 million worth of urgently needed testing kits, training of professionals, along with other critical supplies and services in the health and water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors, to protect children and respond to the public health emergency, reported Xinhua.

The dengue outbreak has now spread to 64 districts, it said.

According to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in Bangladesh, more than 112,000 cases of dengue have been reported, of which 20 per cent are children below the age of 15 years. Over 500 dengue-related deaths have been reported.

In a year when the world has seen a rising number of climate-driven disasters, climate change is also exacerbating the spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue, directly impacting the lives of children as well as adults, Unicef said in a statement.

"Once again, children in Bangladesh are at the frontlines of climate change as the dengue crisis here escalates," said Sheldon Yett, Unicef representative to Bangladesh.

"The government of Bangladesh is undertaking a timely and effective response to the ongoing dengue situation in the country. The need of the hour is for the communities to ensure that mosquitoes do not breed in their houses and take all precautionary measures to ward away mosquitoes," said Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of Bangladesh's Directorate General of Health Services.

Among other measures, Unicef said it is supporting the government in engaging communities and raising awareness about dengue prevention, and taking necessary preventive measures.

Unicef further said it has mobilised religious and community leaders to influence people with actionable information to reduce the spread of dengue. Through disseminating information at mass gatherings and social media, it has assisted the government in reaching over 50 million people with messages about protection from dengue in the last month.

Unicef said it is also working together with partners to support the government with critical medical supplies, including kits with 13,400 tests, building capacities of staff, providing technical advice, and implementing actions such as campaigns to clean up breeding sites in select areas. - BERNAMA-XINHUA