The Transparency International Bangladesh in a statement on Saturday said that the dengue situation had become a serious threat to public health in Dhaka as elsewhere in the country due to lack of coordination among the organisations.
The anti-corruption watchdog blamed lack of proper planning, preparation and effective implementation for the worsening dengue situation, said a TIB press release issued on Saturday.
The dengue could not be prevented due to lack of transparency and accountability, irregularities, corruption and indiscriminate effective measures of the departments concerned and the city corporations, the TIB said, giving a 15-point recommendation.
‘The initiatives of two Dhaka city authorities are disappointing as there was a warning that the situation might be terrible,’ said TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman.
He questioned the real efforts of the authorities concerned to reduce the worsening situation in the capital city.
Dengue killed 67 people and forced 12,118 people to admit to health facilities across the country, according to the official data.
Dhaka city accounted for over 76 per cent of overall official deaths and about 71 per cent of overall hospitalisations reported across the country this year.
Iftekharuzzaman also urged the two Dhaka city corporations to come out of dependency on insecticide and take effective measures making coordination with the Directorate General of Health Services.
The TIB executive director said that dengue was not only spread across the capital but also across the country and it was taking toll on people’s lives.
He called for coordinated efforts to monitor the dengue situation announcing it a public health emergency.
‘Initiatives should also be taken in the city corporations and municipalities outside Dhaka after identifying their lack of capacities. They also need to increase public awareness and participation several times,’ he said.
