The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) launched its first-ever pre-monsoon Aedes mosquito larvae survey on Sunday, aiming to combat mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya in the capital. The survey is being conducted under DSCC’s management for the first time.
DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam officially inaugurated the survey programme at Buriganga Hall of Nagar Bhaban on Sunday morning.
The 12-day survey will involve 2,250 houses, with 30 houses selected randomly from each of DSCC’s 75 wards using a scientific sampling process. A total of 36 field workers from DSCC and the Communicable Disease Control branch of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) are participating in the survey.
To ensure accuracy, the survey teams are using the digital platform KoboToolbox for data collection. The findings will be analysed using several indices, including the Breteau Index (BI), House Index (HI), Container Index (CI), and Pupa Index (PI), which will help identify potential dengue hotspots in the city.
During the inauguration, Abdus Salam stated that dengue has become a significant public health threat, and DSCC is implementing this scientific initiative to protect city residents from the growing risk. “If the breeding sources can be identified properly, outbreaks can be prevented before they spread widely,” he said.
He also issued a stern warning to field workers, stressing that negligence in carrying out the survey would not be tolerated. “This is a matter of life and death for people. Submitting fabricated reports without visiting the assigned areas would amount to playing with human lives,” he added.
Following the inauguration, the DSCC Administrator visited the Central Veterinary Hospital at Fulbaria intersection to observe the survey activities on the ground. During his inspection, mosquito larvae, stagnant water, and waste were discovered inside the hospital premises, which led him to express dissatisfaction with the hospital authorities.
He directed the relevant authorities to take immediate action against those responsible and ordered the spraying of mosquito control chemicals to eliminate the larvae.
Alongside the survey, DSCC has assured that regular mosquito control drives will continue, and immediate action will be taken wherever larvae or high-risk environments are detected.
