Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Currently a name of terror. The disease is caused by the bite of a female Aedes mosquito. This year, even after the monsoon has passed, dengue is still happeningAedes mosquito-borne dengue fever continues to spread. Last Saturday (November 2, 2024) 10 more people died due to this fever in 24 hours. At this time, 966 new people were admitted to the hospital with dengue. And 310 people have died of dengue so far this year, from January 1 to November 2 this year, a total of 63 thousand 165 people have been admitted to hospital due to dengue. Of whom 61.7 percent are men and 38.3 percent are women.

Apart from this, 51.30 percent of the 310 dead people are women and 48.70 percent are men. From June 2023, the dengue situation became dire. Last year 3 lakh 21 thousand 179 patients were admitted to the hospital and received treatment in the country. Among them, 100,800 people were treated in Dhaka and 211,171 people outside Dhaka. Before that, 101,354 people were infected with dengue nationwide in 2019. Around 300 people including doctors and health workers died at that timeDuring the corona epidemic in 2020, dengue infection was not seen much, but in 2021, 28 thousand 429 people were infected with dengue fever across the country. That year, 105 people died due to dengue. In addition, in 2022, a total of 62,382 people were admitted to the hospital with dengue. That year, 281 people died from the mosquito-borne disease

> symptoms

Fever 101-104 degrees, body ache, severe headache, eye pain, red eyes, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, cough etc. A rash may appear on the body. Symptoms of acute dengue fever include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, uncontrollable diarrhea, bleeding, rapid breathing, lethargy, irritability and restlessness.

> Why awareness is needed

And like ten virus fever, dengue fever also resolves itself within seven days. But the critical period of dengue starts 28-48 hours after fever goes away. At this time, sudden drop in blood pressure and other complications may occur. Complications are bleeding from different parts of the body (dengue-hemorrhage), plasma leakage or watery part coming out of the blood vessels and blood pressure falling (dengue shock syndrome). If proper treatment is not given in these cases there is danger of death.

> Key test

CBC and NS 1 Ag Antigen Test should be done one day after fever. After four-five days of fever, CBC and Anti Dengue Antibody IgG and IgM should be done. Other tests will be needed if the patient has complications.

> What to do if detected

Rest at home. Consult an experienced homeopathic doctor for fever. wipe your face Drink two to two and a half liters of liquid food such as saline, dip, soup, fruit juice, milk. Eat other food too. Measure blood pressure several times a day. See pulse pressure; Because the difference in pressure above and below the pulse is less than 20 mm, the risk increases. Note the amount of urine. Do CBC test daily if possible.

> When to consult a specialist Homeopath

Severe abdominal pain, frequent vomiting, fluid accumulation in the abdomen or chest, bleeding, increased hematocrit on CBC, platelet count below 50,000 and decreased urine output.

> When in the intensive care unit

* Dengue shock syndrome. * Severe shortness of breath. * Liver, brain, heart, kidney complications. * Heavy bleeding.

> What can't be done

* Do not panic unnecessarily. * Take treatment according to doctor's advice. * Never take painkillers. * Do not drink too much liquid. * Do not take steroids.
* Don't panic about platelets. If the platelet count is 10,000 and the hematocrit is normal, no bleeding, wait. Because, the number of platelets starts to increase within one to two days. Pregnant women, children and adolescents, patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases should be more aware.

> What to do to prevent Dengue:

Preventing dengue requires a concerted effort. It is highly recommended to take some important preventive measures to stay free from dengue.

_ Destruction of mosquito breeding grounds:

The accumulated water around the house should be removed. Flower tubs, water containers, plastic bottles or any reservoir should be cleaned regularly. Frogs and some fish and birds directly eat mosquitoes and control mosquito breeding. Because of this, the breeding of frogs and their safe survival must be done. They regularly feed on mosquito eggs, larvae etc. to keep mosquito growth to a minimum. As a result, mosquitoes will naturally bite people less.

_ Use of Mosquitoes and Repellents:

Make sure to use mosquito nets at night. Anti-mosquito lotion or spray can be used on the body when going out during the day. Long-sleeved clothes and socks should be worn while dressing to prevent mosquito bites.

_ Government initiatives and awareness raising:

The government should conduct regular mosquito control activities and make people aware of dengue prevention methods.
> Need for public awareness:

Creating awareness among people is very important to prevent dengue. The public should be made aware of protection against mosquito bites as well as destruction of mosquito breeding grounds. Remember – every person has a role to play in preventing dengue. It is important to take concerted action from the individual level to the government to control mosquitoes. Awareness programs can be conducted among students in schools and colleges. Besides, initiatives should be taken to make the general public aware about dengue through various printing and electronic media and social media and this activity should be continued throughout the year. Media should also play a comprehensive and active role to increase public awareness on prevention of dengue.

> Development of healthcare system:

Treatment of dengue fever is mainly symptomatic. There is still no specific antiviral drug and dengue vaccine is not readily available for everyone. So it is very important to get treatment at the right time according to the symptoms of the disease. Government hospitals should ensure special services and adequate supply of medical supplies for dengue patients. However, it is important to create necessary facilities for dengue treatment in rural areas as well as city hospitals. At present, the pressure of dengue patients in government hospitals in Dhaka and other big cities is very high. As a result, problems are often faced due to lack of adequate medical supplies and beds. Hence improvement of medical system and establishment of separate wards for dengue patients is the need of the hour. Lack of necessary testing facilities and trained health workers also hampers dengue control. Dengue detection and treatment in local health centers should be improved. Dengue patients need frequent blood tests. The tests are mostly done in various private clinics. Exorbitant charges for the tests put a lot of pressure on the patients. The tests are very simple tests. Costs can be kept a little lower for common man if desired but clinics never do. During this period, the prices of medicines and accessories for the patients were also increased abnormally by the traders.

> Impact of Climate Change and Dengue:

Climate change is exacerbating dengue outbreaks. Changes in rainfall duration and temperature affect the life cycle and reproductive processes of dengue mosquitoes. As the temperature rises, the breeding of mosquitoes also happens faster, which increases the incidence of dengue. Due to climate change, dengue fever in Bangladesh is likely to be prolonged.

> Future Plans:

Lack of long-term planning for dengue prevention is still observed. In addition to the government, private organizations, research institutes and local communities must work together to control dengue. Better research to combat dengue, sustainable methods of mosquito control and expansion of vaccination programs to prevent the disease are needed. In different countries of the world - such as Singapore and Malaysia have taken some successful initiatives to control dengue, better plans can be formulated in Bangladesh by learning from them. Using drone technology to determine the density of mosquitoes, use of genetically modified, etc. effective methods can be implemented. However, most diseases can be cured only with proper diagnosis and treatment. Again, these diseases can be easily prevented by taking some precautions. It is possible to stay free from most diseases only by providing clean water and food and keeping the surroundings clean.

The writer is a, Founder Chairman,Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society Organizer, columnist and researcher