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Published : 15 Jul 2026, 08:47 PM
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has urged people to wear long-sleeved shirts, pajamas or long Lungis, alongside sleeping under mosquito nets, as part of efforts to prevent dengue infections.
He also said private medical college hospitals have been instructed to keep 10 percent of their beds available for dengue patients and to conduct dengue tests at government-approved rates.
The minister made the remarks in parliament on Wednesday while responding to a notice submitted by Chapainawabganj-3 MP Md Nurul Islam.
Speaking about public awareness, Sakhawat said people were being encouraged to wear "long-sleeved shirts, pajamas or long lungis" to reduce exposure to mosquito bites.
He said owners of private medical college hospitals had been informed of the government's decisions around one and a half months ago and had agreed to comply.
"If dengue cases appear, they must keep 10 percent of their beds vacant for dengue patients and conduct dengue antigen tests at the same rate set by the government. They will not be allowed to charge more than that," he told parliament.
Nurul had sought details of the government's plans to control the dengue situation, expand treatment services and strengthen coordinated mosquito control measures.
He also called for adequate hospital beds, intensive care units, diagnostic facilities, medicines, medical equipment, doctors and nurses.
In response, the minister said NS1 dengue tests are being provided free of charge at government hospitals. The fee for IgG and IgM tests has been reduced from Tk 300 to Tk 50.
He said the government currently has a central stock of 106,600 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits, with nearly 500,000 more expected to be added within the next month.
The government has also stocked an additional 100,000 saline bags for dengue patients, while ensuring adequate saline supplies have already been sent to every Upazila.
More supplies can be provided if required, he said.
The minister added that mobile hospitals have been kept ready to handle any surge in patients, while the armed forces have also been placed on standby.
According to Sakhawat, 10-bed ICU facilities have already been established in 12 districts, with five more districts expected to receive ICU services within the next 15 days.
He also said nationwide cleanliness drives have been conducted every Saturday for the past two months as part of dengue prevention efforts.
The campaigns involve divisional health directors, civil surgeons, deputy commissioners, Upazila executive officers and Upazila health officials.
Meanwhile, the two Dhaka city corporations, along with other city corporations and municipalities across the country, are using insecticide spraying to kill adult mosquitoes and larvicide tablets to destroy mosquito larvae.
