Science minister wants research-based quick fix for dengue, not just talk; Wolbachia pilot project on the way

Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has urged that dengue prevention move beyond discussion, meetings, seminars and podcasts, and instead produce a quick, practical and effective solution through research.

He made the call on Sunday (25 October) as chief guest at a meeting at the Science and Technology Ministry's conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, held to explore scientific cooperation on controlling dengue and mosquitoes through the application of Wolbachia technology.

The minister said dengue has become an extremely serious problem in the country's present reality. In a densely populated city like Dhaka, the number of dengue patients in different areas and hospitals is rising at an alarming rate, and in this situation effective, visible steps must be taken in the field immediately, without delay.

He said the prime minister has given specific directions for tackling dengue. Following those directions, he said, it is possible to move towards a lasting solution through a realistic pilot project involving scientists and the relevant officials.

The minister called on everyone concerned to work directly in the field rather than remaining confined to meetings, seminars or podcasts. Research knowledge must be applied in practice against dengue, he said, and scientists must come forward for a quick and effective solution to this public health crisis. Assuring all kinds of support for implementing the project, he said that if necessary, full cooperation in suppressing dengue would be ensured in consultation with everyone involved.

At the meeting, Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain stressed increasing joint cooperation and coordination in research on dengue and mosquito control. He said working together is essential instead of single efforts, and there is no alternative to joint initiatives to find the right method and the most effective solution. In his view, dengue control initiatives must be affordable and commercially viable, and any project must take Bangladesh's climate, geographical location and social welfare into account.

The meeting was told that a pilot project, funded by the Temasek Foundation and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will soon begin work on effective research into dengue and mosquito control. Bangladeshi researchers and experts working in related fields will be involved in the project. It was hoped at the meeting that the initiative would be more fruitful if Bangladesh's own technology, research knowledge and innovation were added to it.

Singapore's Chargé d'Affaires in Bangladesh, Philip Ong, and Professor Dr Zhiyong Xi, chairman of the Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology at Michigan State University in the United States, also spoke at the meeting. David Quek Yong Ki, chief executive officer of SymbioCI SEA, attended with members of his team.

Representatives and researchers from the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations, the health ministry, the local government ministry and the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) took part in the meeting on applying Wolbachia technology. Also present were Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority chairman Mahmudul Hasan, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission chairman Dr M. Moinul Islam, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) chairman Dr Samina Ahmed, Dhaka University professor Dr M. Firoz Zaman and Jahangirnagar University professor Dr Kabirul Bashar, among other experts.