The rising dengue cases in the country poses a risk for crisis but the time has yet to arrive for declaring a public health emergency, according to the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Speaking to reporters at a virtual press conference organised by the health directorate on Sunday (16 July), DGHS Professor Dr ABM Khurshid Alam said, "If the infection rate increases, we will fall into a crisis. But, there is no crisis now in providing treatment to dengue patients.

"The time has not yet arrived to declare a public health emergency," he said.

"We do not see a situation as such. Public health emergency was declared during the Covid-19 outbreak. If this is required, it should be discussed at the policy level, and we have already expressed our concerns," he said.

Dr Khurshid Alam said, "Mugda Medical College Hospital has the highest number of dengue patients in Dhaka. The number of beds for dengue patients in Mugda Hospital is 500. But there are about 600 patients admitted there.

"The number of dengue patients is high in adjacent areas, such as Shonir Akhra, Jatrabari, Sabujbagh, Kadamtali, Basabo and Rampura. Most of them are undergoing treatment at the hospital. We tried to shift some patients from there but they did not agree. They want to get treatment close to their homes."

He further said the beds are empty in other hospitals but they are slowly filling up as dengue cases are increasing at an alarming rate. 

This year the monsoon has started late, so there is a fear that the dengue season will be prolonged, he said, adding, "We have taken measures to solve the shortage of manpower in hospitals. Dengue treatment facilities are available in all government hospitals of the capital."

Health Services Division Secretary Dr Md Anwar Hossain Howlader said a team of the health directorate has been instructed to monitor private hospitals so that they do not charge extra for treatment of dengue patients.

He also said legal action will be taken against private hospitals if they do not provide the information of admitted dengue patients within 24 hours.