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Bangladesh Faces Year-Round Dengue Crisis Amid Climate Change, Surge in Cases Strains Hospitals
Dengue cases in Bangladesh are rising, with hospitals overwhelmed and paediatric wards packed. Climate change is transforming the disease into a year-round crisis. Urgent action is needed.
ND
by News Desk
2024-11-07
Bangladesh Faces Year-Round Dengue Crisis Amid Climate Change, Surge in Cases Strains Hospitals

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh is facing an ongoing battle against a surge in dengue cases, with hospitals now dealing with year-round outbreaks. Once considered a seasonal threat, the Aedes mosquito-borne disease has become a constant risk, exacerbated by climate change, which has prolonged the conditions necessary for mosquito breeding. As a result, hospitals are overwhelmed, with paediatric wards so full that children are being doubled up on beds.

“We normally expect the number of dengue cases to decrease after the monsoon rains,” explained Dr. Fazlul Haque, walking through a paediatric ward at Dhaka’s Shaheed Sohrawardi Medical College. "But for the past three weeks, the cases have been steadily increasing."

Dr. Sabina Tabassum Anika, who oversees the children’s dengue ward, highlighted the extent of the crisis, noting that to accommodate the growing number of patients, they have been forced to assign two children to each hospital bed.

Last month, Bangladesh saw 134 dengue-related deaths, marking the deadliest month of 2024. The total number of dengue fatalities this year has now reached 326, though it remains lower than the toll of over 1,000 deaths in 2023. Despite fewer deaths compared to last year, the frequency of fatalities continues to raise alarms, with new cases being reported almost every month.

As of early November, more than 65,000 cases have been recorded in the country. Dengue, which can cause severe bleeding and organ damage, poses a serious health risk. In the most severe cases, bleeding can occur internally or from the mouth and nose, making early diagnosis and intervention crucial.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm about the global spread of dengue, warning that the number of cases worldwide has nearly doubled each year since 2021. In the first eight months of 2024 alone, over 12.3 million cases of dengue and more than 7,900 deaths have been reported globally.

Experts like Sheikh Daud Adnan from the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) emphasize the importance of proactive measures, such as destroying mosquito larvae, to curb the spread of dengue. “We often act too late, only responding after an outbreak occurs,” Adnan stated. “Many people still fail to recognize that dengue can strike at any time of the year, confusing it with seasonal fevers.”

As the situation worsens, it is clear that addressing the root causes—climate change, stagnant water sources, and inadequate public health infrastructure—is crucial in fighting this deadly disease.
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