Poor sanitation in Bangladesh's Rohingya camps breeding dengue mosquitos

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Dengue fever, a virus spread by mosquitos, has infected stateless Rohingya refugees in one of the world's largest and most congested refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh's southeastern coastal district. Health experts say these camps have become a breeding ground for dengue mosquitos that are different from ordinary mosquitoes in both shape and color.

Bangladesh is currently hosting about 1.2 million Rohingya, the majority of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017.

An average of seven to eight people live in a 120-square-foot room in a house with a poor sewer system, making the camp a breeding ground for mosquitos, particularly those carrying the dengue virus.

Dengue fever outbreaks are common during the rainy season in many places across the country, notably Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, due to humid conditions.

According to Health Ministry data, nearly 10,000 Rohingya were infected with the dengue virus until mid-August of this year, with seven deaths. This disease killed 105 people last year and infected 28,429 more.

Ansar Ali, a Rohingya community leader, is concerned about the spread of dengue fever in his two-bed house with nine other people after his younger brother became infected with the virus and is treated at a refugee hospital.

"I share a room with my five-member family, while my brother shares a room with four other refugees. We are all worried about contracting dengue and other infections as we cannot maintain privacy and hygiene in such crowded living conditions," he told Anadolu Agency.

- Poor sewer and waste management

Refugees attributed the situation to the unsanitary surroundings and poor waste management in the camps.

Khin Maung, a member of the persecuted Rohingya living in Camp-13, told Anadolu Agency that they are frightened over the rise in dengue cases.

"Waste and garbage are strewn throughout the camps, and waterlogging have grown common as a result of poor waste management and drainage systems. The situation worsens during the rainy season," the refugee explained.

"There are hospitals in and out of the refugee camps," he said, claiming, "but these are insufficient to manage the rising number of dengue patients."

A mosquito naturally bites one person and transmits the dengue virus to others, according to health experts, who, along with rights groups, have urged coordinated efforts to bring the situation under control.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, head of Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust (COAST), a non-profit organization that works for the Rohingya, told Anadolu Agency that Cox’s Bazar city has become one of the most polluted areas in the country, posing serious health risks to its residents.

And, the refugee camps in the area are the worst of it, he added.

The government has begun dozens of development projects in the tourist hub of Cox's Bazar, many of which generate environmental pollution.

“Some old canals that are crucial for normal water flow during the rainy season have been acquired for road construction. Pollution and destruction of water bodies have caused waterlogging in Cox’s Bazar, posing a potential threat of dengue breeding,” he explained.

- Collective efforts needed

Some health experts say the origin and prevalence of dengue fever are increasing due to accumulated water in various areas of the camp, and that collective efforts are required to bring the situation under control.

Chowdhury said they have repeatedly urged the relevant authorities to ban the use of plastic and to develop waste-to-energy mechanisms in refugee camps.

He did, however, emphasize that refugee health care facilities are good, citing COVID-19 as an example, which he believes is less common among refugees in comparison to their vast population.

Dr Abu Toha, a chief health coordinator at the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), told Anadolu Agency that the dengue infection rate is not alarming given a large number of refugees in the congested camps.

He did, however, admit that the living conditions in so many tents are unclean, which is one of the reasons dengue mosquitos breed. The prevalence of skin diseases in refugee camps has also been exacerbated by overcrowding, he added.

However, medical care is provided to refugees in collaboration with the government, UN agencies, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), including a Turkish hospital and health support.

The UNHCR has recently set up an ICU-bed hospital for refugees.

The health and sanitation staff are working hard to keep the camps clean.

"I have worked in various refugee camps across the world, and what I am seeing in Bangladesh is far better than what I have seen in other places," Dr Abu Toha asserted.