Bangladesh desperate for mosquito repellents amid dengue fever outbreak
People in Bangladesh are concerned over the lack of mosquito repellents available to help prevent dengue fever as the country battles a severe outbreak of the disease.
Anti-mosquito aerosol sprays, oils, gels and ointments are running out at shops across Dhaka while the price of mosquito nets and coils has rocketed.
So far this year, more than 24,000 people have been infected with dengue fever and 60 have died, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
Wakil Hasan, a senior sales officer at pharmaceutical shop Lazz Pharma, said they had not received supplies of Dabur Odomos Natural Mosquito Repellent Spray, Good Knight Fabric Roll and Purnava Mosquito Repellent – all of which are in demand – for four days. Hasan told New Age that at least 2,000 customers failed to pick up the supplies they needed.
Many of the most widely used mosquito repellents in Bangladesh are imported from India. As well as struggling to import enough repellents to keep up with demand, many of the available products are also being sold at a mark-up. Odomos, an ointment usually sold as a 100g tube for Tk 200 (€2.12) is now being sold by some online retailers for up to Tk 500 (€5.31).
Aerosol spray mosquito repellents are almost unavailable now as many lower-quality products are being sold at a premium. Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution director general Muazzem Hossain told New Age that the supply may not increase overnight because the production side is also limited. He said: “We will request the manufacturers to increase the production of the mosquito repellents considering the present situation.”
Anti-mosquito aerosol sprays, oils, gels and ointments are running out at shops across Dhaka while the price of mosquito nets and coils has rocketed.
So far this year, more than 24,000 people have been infected with dengue fever and 60 have died, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
Wakil Hasan, a senior sales officer at pharmaceutical shop Lazz Pharma, said they had not received supplies of Dabur Odomos Natural Mosquito Repellent Spray, Good Knight Fabric Roll and Purnava Mosquito Repellent – all of which are in demand – for four days. Hasan told New Age that at least 2,000 customers failed to pick up the supplies they needed.
Many of the most widely used mosquito repellents in Bangladesh are imported from India. As well as struggling to import enough repellents to keep up with demand, many of the available products are also being sold at a mark-up. Odomos, an ointment usually sold as a 100g tube for Tk 200 (€2.12) is now being sold by some online retailers for up to Tk 500 (€5.31).
Aerosol spray mosquito repellents are almost unavailable now as many lower-quality products are being sold at a premium. Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution director general Muazzem Hossain told New Age that the supply may not increase overnight because the production side is also limited. He said: “We will request the manufacturers to increase the production of the mosquito repellents considering the present situation.”
