Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed authorities to step up cleanliness and public awareness campaigns across the country, with support from the public, to prevent the spread of dengue.

The prime minister gave the directives at a meeting on the dengue situation and measures to be taken, held at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday.

At the meeting, the prime minister stressed increasing public participation in dengue prevention rather than relying solely on government agencies.

He also called for greater public awareness about keeping homes and their surroundings clean, removing stagnant water, clearing garbage and waste, and preventing the creation of mosquito breeding grounds.

The prime minister also directed that disaster management volunteers, along with Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Rover Scouts and Red Crescent personnel, be involved in cleanliness and awareness activities. He said cleanliness drives should be conducted at the local level by engaging people through these groups.

The meeting placed emphasis on enhancing treatment facilities and patient-management capacity for dengue patients at hospitals at the upazila level. The issue of supplying mosquito nets for hospitalized dengue patients was also discussed to reduce the risk of dengue spreading to others through mosquitoes that bite infected patients.

Placing special emphasis on implementing the decisions taken at the meeting, the prime minister said, “There must be visible results on the ground.”

Stressing that prevention should be given the highest priority in combating dengue, the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to work in a coordinated manner. He also emphasized taking extensive awareness initiatives to ensure public participation in cleanliness activities.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan, State Minister Mir Shah Alam, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Health SM Ziauddin Haider, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan, and secretaries of the relevant ministries and divisions, among other senior officials, attended the meeting.