Mayor Annisul blames homegrown mosquitoes for spreading Chikungunya

North Dhaka Mayor Annisul Huq has shrugged off the blame for rising Chikungunya cases in the capital.

He claimed the viral disease was spreading fast because of mosquito populations inside households, rather than those growing out of the city's drainage system.

The mayor made the remark amid accusations of negligence against his office by Heath Minister Mohammed Nasim who criticised the city's extermination and cleaning drives for being inadequate.  

“The city corporation can't kill mosquitoes inside your homes. The ones breeding in the drainage pipes are not the main reasons behind the spread of Chikungunya,” he told a media briefing on Friday.

Experts formerly employed with the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research supported the mayor's view during the discussion on Chikungunya at the DNCC headquarters.

Annisul reiterated their view and said, “…it is not possible for the City Corporation to hunt mosquitoes inside your homes.

“I can’t tie your mosquito nets, and I can't put insecticides in your water reservoirs. I can't kill the mosquitoes that breed on the surface of the clean water you store inside your homes."

His city corporation was killing more mosquitoes than it does usually, he said. “I don’t know what more we can do.”

The mayor complained that his office was not given any warning about Chikungunya, which could have helped in making preparations for the crisis.

Epidemiologist Professor Mahmudur Rahman, Entomologists Dr Tauhiduddin Ahmed and Dr Manjur A Chowdhury advised more public awareness against the disease. 

Prof Mahmudur said, “It is clearly an epidemic considering how the disease has spread and the number of people now affected by it.”

Dr Tauhiduddin agreed with his view but said an official decree depended with the health ministry.

This year's early rain played a key role behind the outbreak, he said. “The Chikungunya virus came from neighbouring countries."

“People travelled to Delhi, Karachi and Sri Lanka more frequently this year. The rain also led to more breeding of mosquitoes, causing the disease to spread rapidly,” said Dr Tauhiduddin.

“We never had a Chikungunya outbreak before this, so we were not prepared. That also allowed the crisis to worsen.”