Living abroad, working in a respected North American public health laboratory, and reading about deaths from dengue fever every day in Bangladeshi newspapers is heartbreaking. The situation is unacceptable.

We all know that Dhaka, along with other parts of Bangladesh, has experienced an alarming increase in dengue cases in the last few years and this year it is more serious than previous years, with deaths occurring every day this year. However, the reaction of the authorities is inadequate. Dengue fever and mosquito-borne diseases in Bangladesh are a problem that is going nowhere, as are floods and cyclones. Long-term action is needed, and it is needed urgently. Unfortunately, so far this has not happened.

A long-term Mosquito Control Program (MCP), similar to climate adaptation plans, can provide structured and consistent efforts to combat mosquito populations and dengue outbreaks over years. We should do what we can to prevent deaths from mosquito-borne diseases, at least using science-based formulas. This will include training, ongoing surveillance and a coordinated mosquito control strategy.

Community education and participation: It is important to raise awareness at all levels of society about how to reduce mosquito breeding grounds. This may include mass campaigns, involvement of religious leaders, social workers and professionals, and the introduction of mosquito control education into school curriculums.

Ongoing surveillance: Regular mosquito population and pathogen monitoring will enable proactive intervention. Surveillance data can help identify trends in mosquito species and breeding grounds, guiding authorities in timely spraying and control efforts.

Larval mosquito control: It is important to control mosquitoes at every stage; however, larval mosquito control should be a priority. To effectively control mosquito populations, especially in urban areas like Dhaka, an integrated approach focusing on larval mosquito control can be highly effective. This method targets mosquito larvae in stagnant water sources before they develop into biting adults, the most effective stage for interrupting their life cycle and preventing mosquito-borne diseases.

Biological agents derived from naturally occurring bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, Saccharopolyspora spinosa, and Lysinibacillus sphaericus. These substances are environmentally friendly and effective in killing larvae without affecting other organisms. They are available in liquid or solid form. This can be applied directly to the water via backpack sprayers, trucks or airplanes. Solid forms are available as dunks, tablets, pellets, granules or briquettes placed in water where mosquitoes lay eggs. This can be done using school students, social workers, and religious leaders.

Given Dhaka’s rapid and unplanned growth, large areas cannot be reached by trucks. One potential solution is the use of crop duster planes. These aircraft are cost-effective given the size of the mosquito problem and can cover large areas quickly and effectively. For spraying and more frequent, large-scale applications, crop pollinator planes can be part of the emergency response.

For Dhaka city, authorities may consider investing in crop pollinator aircraft for larvicide application, especially in hard-to-reach urban areas, and implement weekly applications and regularly monitor water samples to ensure the absence of larvae, adjusting operations until open water sources are free of mosquitoes. .

Such measures, along with regular monitoring and targeted practices, can help prevent mosquito-borne diseases by significantly reducing mosquito populations.

Government action and coordination: The government’s MCP, supported by scientific input and coordination between municipal authorities, health departments, and communities, is a must and it is needed NOW.

For short-term and rapid action: This should include immediate actions such as spraying using a spraying plane to kill adult mosquitoes and eliminating sources of standing water in both public and private areas.

Without consistent and coordinated action, the problem is likely to worsen as mosquito breeding habitat improves with climate change. A plan focusing on Coordination, Consistency and Continuity (3Cs) will be key to success and should be implemented immediately to stop unwanted deaths.

I sincerely hope that the authorities responsible for controlling dengue fever will take immediate action to prevent these unwanted deaths.

Doctor Mohammed Morshed He is a clinical microbiologist and program lead for Zoonotic Diseases and Emerging Pathogens, BC Center for Disease Control, Vancouver, and Clinical Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author.

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