Photo: BSS

CHATTOGRAM, July 14, 2026 (BSS)-Chattogram Divisional Health Director Dr
Sheikh Fazle Rabbi has called for enhanced surveillance to curb the spread of
mosquito-borne diseases, particularly dengue.

He said dengue has emerged as a major public health concern and that the
Health Department is fully prepared to ensure the safety of Chattogram
residents and keep the city dengue-free.

However, he said achieving this goal would require greater public awareness
and active community participation alongside government efforts. He made the
call while addressing a coordination meeting on 'Strengthening the Dengue
Surveillance System', organised in collaboration with M‚decins Sans
FrontiŠres (MSF) at the office of the Divisional Health Director on Tuesday.

He noted that both the government and the NGO MSF are collaborating to
address the dengue issue. An agreement has already been established among the
Chattogram City Corporation, Health Department, Chattogram Veterinary and
Animal Sciences University (CVASU), and MSF to combat vector-borne diseases.

He reported that Aedes mosquito larvae are present in one out of every four
homes within the Chattogram City Corporation area. In June, the dengue
patient count in the Chattogram division reached 405, and by the second week
of July this year, this figure had risen to 485. He expressed concerns that
the dengue outbreak may escalate further during the monsoon season.

During the meeting, Chattogram Civil Surgeon Dr Jahangir Alam stated that, in
addition to government initiatives, collaborative efforts involving MSF and
other NGOs are essential to effectively combat dengue.

The meeting, which was facilitated by MSF Medical Team Leader Dr. Francisco
Raul D. Salvador and Medical Liaison Officer Dr. Fatema Ferdousi, included
the participation of Chattogram Medical College Hospital Director Brigadier
General Mohammad Taslim Uddin, BITID Director Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed, Deputy
Director of the Divisional Health Director's Office Dr. Kamrul Azad, Acting
Director of Chattogram General Hospital Dr. Md. Ekram Hossain, along with
various officials from the Health Department, medical professionals, and
representatives development partner organizations were present.