Dengue fever response and reporting challenges in Cambodia and Bangladesh

Health authorities in Cambodia and Bangladesh are addressing challenges related to rising dengue fever cases. In Cambodia, dengue infections rose by nearly 50 percent in 2026. To combat this, Kantha Bopha hospitals, under the initiative of the Ministry of Health, launched a large-scale training program across eight provinces. The program, led by Prof. Dr. Yay Chantana, focused on improving early detection and clinical care for children, training 568 medical professionals through on-site clinical rounds and video conferencing.

In Bangladesh, concerns have been raised regarding the accuracy of dengue statistics. An analysis of data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) suggests that patient numbers may be underreported. Investigations at several major hospitals in Dhaka, including Mugda Medical College Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital, found that the actual number of admitted patients significantly exceeded the figures released by the DGHS Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room.