WB to provide Bangladesh with $100 million to control dengue: Health Minister

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Wednesday that the World Bank (WB) will provide Bangladesh with $100 million to control the mosquito-borne disease dengue that killed 506 people this year.

He made the announcement while briefing journalists after a meeting with the Word Bank representatives at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
The minister said, “Dengue should be brought under control. The World Bank will provide $100 million to control dengue. They will provide this fund to the Ministry of Local Government to control mosquitoes.”

He said that the WB managed $550 million, and of the amount $100 million will be given to the Health Ministry for urban health.

Moreover, an amount of $700 million will be given for Rohingya and the host community for the use of infrastructures and services, he said adding that the budget will get approved in the Board Meeting at the end of August.

The minister said, “We are offering the services whatever is possible to the dengue patients, there are many patients in hospitals. Some 500 people have died and over one lakh people have been infected,” he said.

Addressing the need for escalating activities by city corporations and municipalities to handle dengue, he said 500 people have died of dengue as the situation could not be brought under control.

He said the effect of the dengue is more in Bangladesh than that of neighbouring countries and the ministry is trying to offer services to the people “who are pleased” with this.
Urging all to behave responsibly, the minister said the death and number of dengue patients would not decrease if mosquitoes do not come under control.