What led to the dengue outbreak?
Last Updated on August 22, 2023 9:46 am
We are currently in the midst of what is perhaps the worst dengue epidemic in our nation’s history, with the death toll close to 500 and more than 1,900 infected and hospitalized. The Directorate General of Health Services has already expressed that the numbers are set to reach a record high this year.
How did we get here, exactly?
Given that dengue is spread by the Aedes mosquito, the most sensible answer would be our two city corporations’ utter failure to ensure mosquito control. While it is an endeavour that both the DSCC and DNCC have been active in for a long time, reports suggest that the exact methods used to keep the population of mosquitoes under control are not only inadequate but lack any hints of research or a comprehensive plans.
We are at a point where conventional methods for mosquito control do not yield the desired results over time, leading to mosquito-borne diseases like dengue having turned into annual epidemics — the DSCC employs 1,050 mosquito exterminators and supervisors for mosquito control, while the DNCC has 13 MBBS doctors and 800 mosquito exterminators.
How does it make sense to have so many medical doctors working on mosquito control?
While the DNCC has employed an entomologist as an advisor to the mayor, it makes more sense to have more of such experts work towards mosquito control more directly as they possess the necessary expertise in this field.
The numbers speak for themselves. The recent dengue outbreak has been an absolute public health disaster and the faults lie squarely within our city corporations’ inadequate efforts towards mosquito control. This is an issue that requires immediate attention and cooperation between our administration and our specialized experts.
How does it make sense to have so many medical doctors working on mosquito control?