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Bengal

B'desh takes pointers from KMC's expertise in tackling dengue, looks to adopt its work model

Kolkata: Dhaka is trying to adopt the work model of Kolkata Municipal Corporation in its fight to combat vector-borne diseases like dengue. Officials of Dhaka North City Corporation joined in a video conference with officials from KMC's Health department on Monday and learnt about the latter's expertise in curbing vector-borne diseases in the city.

Bangladesh is grappling with a record-breaking spike in dengue fever this year and Bangladesh Local Government and Rural Development minister Md. Tajul Islam met Mayor Firhad Hakim on Saturday to discuss the measures that can be adopted to prevent the spreading of vector-borne diseases in the neighbouring country.

"We informed them about the symptoms of the disease, the treatment protocol that we follow, the insecticides that we use and most importantly, the massive awareness activities that we undertake all throughout the year," said Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who is also in charge of KMC's Health department.

It may be mentioned that Bangladesh is seeing the highest number of dengue cases since 2000, when the country first started to keep records of the disease. In the last three months, 17,000 people have been affected with dengue and 5,000 are still admitted in hospitals there. The death toll as per figures of the Bangladesh government is 18, while at the private level the figures are much higher. "The most important lesson that we learnt is the fact that we have to kill mosquito larvae at source to fight dengue. People in Bangladesh have been gripped by a sense of fear due to spreading of the disease. We will first address this issue and take steps to bring down the death toll," said Taufique Hasan, Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata, who was present during the video conference.

Hasan said that they will also learn about the activities of the research laboratory of the KMC and build up awareness in different wards to fight dengue.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a meeting on 'Save Green Stay Clean' on August 1, had said that dengue has become a menace in Bangladesh. She said that people from the neighbouring country are crossing borders and coming to the state. She had subsequently urged the municipalities, particularly those located in the border areas, to intensify drive against mosquito-borne diseases.

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