THE death of at least 10 people and hospital admission of 1,236 people in January鈥揊ebruary 5, when dengue incidence generally slows down or halts, raises concern. The high density of mosquitoes, both Aedes and Culex, in Dhaka and outlying areas is also alarming. Experts believe that the high density of mosquitoes in the winter is due to of the lack of sustained mosquito control measures. The lack of effective and sustained measures is not particular to 2024, when dengue left at least 575 people dead and 101,214 people affected, but characterises the overall control programmes. The two city corporations of Dhaka spent Tk 358.1 crore in four years and yet, the density of mosquitoes and the dengue menace have only intensified. Official data show that the North City Corporation spent about Tk 243.85 crore and the South City Corporation about Tk 114.25 crore on mosquito control in the 2020鈥�2024 financial years. The north city authorities have Tk 110 crore and the south city authorities Tk 40 crore earmarked for mosquito control for the 2024鈥�2025 financial year.
Residents of different areas of the capital say that the mosquito population has swelled and that city authorities hardly spray adulticide and larvicide. A resident of Demra says that the last time the authorities sprayed insecticide in her area was about two months ago while residents in the heart of Dhaka say that the city authorities spray adulticide or larvicide very irregularly. Besides, little research on the efficacy of the medicines sprayed renders the control drives ineffective. Experts say that the city authorities have continued spraying medicines that the mosquitoes have already adapted to. Another major point that is amiss in the control measures is the lack of attention to mosquito breeding grounds. While water collected in open spaces, including canals, lakes and drains, provides for the ideal breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes, the authorities hardly take programmes to clear the canals and drains and destroy other breeding grounds. Entomologists say that no rainfall at winter鈥檚 end leaves water in drains, lakes and canals dense, increasing organic matter that is an ideal food for mosquito larvae and rising spring temperatures accelerate the development of mosquito eggs and larvae in the water, leading to a sharp surge in mosquito population. If the authorities do not take early, effective measures, the mosquito population would continue to increase as this is the prime breeding season.
The authorities should not, therefore, delay taking effective measures to contain the dengue menace. The authorities should also keep open spaces clean and spray effective larvicide and adulticide regularly. The authorities also need to invest in research to come up with effective adulticide and larvicide.
