"It was a lesson learnt for us. We have given instructions to ensure that the disease does not recur next year. We should work on the issue throughout the year," he said at an event organised by the World Health Organisation and Bangladesh Pharmacy Council on Thursday.
The dengue fever broke out initially in Dhaka during the rainy season and later spread across the country.
As many as 83,481 patients diagnosed with dengue were admitted to hospitals across the country.
Dhaka City Corporation was blamed for negligence in killing mosquitoes when the dengue outbreak went out of control. The insecticide used by the authorities was not effective, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh said in its research.
The issue was dragged to the High Court and finally Dhaka North City Corporation imported insecticides from China and Dhaka South City Corporation from India before the Eid-ul-Azha.
The flow of fresh dengue patients declined in the hospitals after the Eid-ul-Azha in mid-August. The number of dengue patients went down in Dhaka in mid-September but that was not the case in other parts of the country.
The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research reviewed 116 cases out of 203 death cases due to dengue reported to them and confirmed 68 of them.
“We have successfully managed the dengue outbreak. The number of patients is going down,” said the health minister.
The government has attached the highest importance to the health service sector, he said as he highlighted the government’s initiative to set up eight cancer hospitals.
The minister expressed his frustration over 10,000 newly appointed doctors not joining the hospitals.
“The prime minister appointed 10,000 doctors. It is unfortunate that no one of them came to us after two and a half years passed. They were appointed through the health ministry, the planning ministry and the PSC,” Zahid Malik said.
Besides doctors, there will be pharmacists appointed in the hospital gradually, he said.
“The patients will be given good medicines and the treatment will be proper and we have a plan to expand pharmacies in government hospitals.”
Health Secretary Asadul Islam presided over the event with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury present as the chief guest.