On 3 August 2025, ASTHA organised a high-level consultation at the Amari Hotel Dhaka with senior officials from the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) unit of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), and private sector partners, including Carnival Care and Abbott. The objective was to seek DGHS’s guidance on enabling Community Paramedics (CPs) to support national dengue response efforts, particularly in testing, monitoring, and community awareness.
Bangladesh is currently experiencing one of its most widespread dengue outbreaks in recent years, making coordinated action especially important. CPs, who have previously supported public health initiatives during the COVID-19 response, flood emergencies, and various awareness campaigns, are well-placed to assist again. With their experience delivering primary health services in rural and hard-to-reach areas, CPs can play a key role in early detection and management of dengue cases.
During the meeting, ASTHA presented proposed intervention approaches, highlighting CPs’ potential role in community-level service delivery. Carnival Care demonstrated their dengue rapid test kit, noting its ease of use and suitability for remote deployment. Discussions also explored using the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model to expand dengue testing and awareness initiatives nationwide.
In the discussion, the participants also addressed the need to establish a legal and operational framework for CP-led dengue testing, ensure price compliance, integrate standardised service delivery, and strengthen monitoring systems under the supervision of Upazila Health & Family Planning Officers (UH&FPOs) and Civil Surgeons.
Government representatives from DGHS included Professor Dr. Md. Farhad Hussain, Director (CDC); Dr. Ashrafun Nahar, Deputy Director (CDC); Dr. Nurjahan Ara Khatun, Assistant Director (CDC); Dr. Maksuda Khanam, Assistant Director (CDC); Dr. Md. Abdul Quader, Assistant Director (CDC); Dr. Nusrat Jahan, Evaluator (CDC); Dr. Azizur Rahman Lalon, Evaluator (CDC); and Dr. Md. Nayeem Uddin, Medical Officer (CDC). The private sector was represented by Dr. Farshid Bhuiyan, CEO, Carnival Care; Dr. Saifun Nabi Evan, Chief Consultant (Diagnostic Services), Carnival Care; Noor Jahan Juee, Senior Manager, Business Development, Carnival Care; and Abu Siddique, National Sales Manager, Abbott, alongside the ASTHA–Swisscontact team.
In closing, Professor Dr. Md. Farhad Hussain, Director (CDC), thanked ASTHA for organising the event and acknowledged the valuable contributions of CPs in strengthening and expanding community-based health services.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to develop an SOP for CP-led dengue testing, prepare a Ministry-approved awareness campaign, and explore the uses of Carnival Care’s rapid test kits. The Director (CDC) also recommended submitting a formal letter to the Director General (DG), DGHS, to organise a coordination meeting with relevant units and departments to take the intervention forward.
By integrating CPs into the dengue response framework, the intervention aims to ensure that frontline healthcare remains responsive, regulated, and accessible - a critical step in mitigating the current outbreak and building resilience for future public health emergencies.