Dhaka North City Corporation Research Articles

Causes of Dropout from immunization among children in two selected slum area of Dhaka City

This study will contribute information that can be used by policymakers in the Ministry of Health (MOH) to create policies that will encourage mothers to complete their immunization schedule among children in Bangladesh. It will benefit health workers like nurses, doctors or clinicians by giving useful data on the factors associated with immunization dropout among children of one month to 18 months of age in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in two selected slum area in Dhaka city and 120 married women (60 from each slum area of Dhaka city) were interviewed through face -to-face by the researcher. The target population was the parents had children of age from 1 month to 18 month and had routine child vaccination card were interviewed. The total sample size was 120 in number and they were selected by using systematic sampling technique. The study was based on primary data. The instruments of the study were pretested semi-structured questionnaire. After editing and coding the coded data enter into the computer SPSS Version 16.0 was used to analyze the data. Immunization was categorized into ‘complete’ and ‘drop-out’. Bivariate associations were then evaluate using Chi-square and spearman’s correlation. Logistic regression was finally performed to evaluate the strength of the predictive variables to immunization dropout. A confidence interval of 0.05 was considered in this study. Place and Period of the Study: Study was conducted from 8th January 2022 to 21th February 2022 in Tongi (Arshadnagor, Bank field, Hazi Mazar, Nishad Nagar slums -60 household) and Dhaka north City Corporation (korail slum from Banani -60 household). Results: Among the 120 participants majority that is 84.2% represented the age group of 21-35 years followed by 15.0% of <20 years. Maximum and minimums age of the participant was 37 years & 14 years. Sex distribution of the children showed that out of 120 respondents, 59 (49.2%) were male & 61 (50.8%), were female. Male: Female ratio was 1:1.1. Opinion regarding importance of immunization status showed that 100% participants opinion were immunization was important for child. The study revealed that maximum 85.0% respondents told that immunization center distance is less than 1 km & 15.07% respondents stated it is 2-3 km. The study showed that, out of 100% children 74.2% were fully immunized & 25.8% were partially immunized. Conclusion: According to study findings, out of 100% children 74.2% were fully immunized & 25.8% were partially immunized. It was found that there were no associated factors determined to causes dropout rate of immunization from chi-square test. From spearman correlation test, it was found that there was positive association between dropout rate and sex of the children, type of the family. There is a need for intensified engagement with communities through the reaching every child approach so that children are fully immunized. EWMCJ Vol. 12, No. 1&2, January-July 2024: 14-20

Nursing stress and associated factors during covid-19 pandemic: findings of a cross-sectional study at tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh

Background: The COVID-19 epidemic has posed an unparalleled obstacle to healthcare systems worldwide. Particularly in the pandemic period, nursing is seen as a demanding profession with high standards. This study was conducted to assess the level of nursing stress and to identify the factors related to high nursing stress among nurses working in dedicated COVID-19 hospitals. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from selected three dedicated COVID-19 public hospitals in Dhaka city of Bangladesh named Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, and Hospital, Dhaka North City Corporation dedicated COVID-19 hospital from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022. Total respondents were 368 who had working experience more than 6 months in above mentioned hospitals. Data were collected by face-to-face interview through pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Nursing stress was assessed by Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) and categorized as low (≤39), moderate (40-62), and high (>62) stress score. Data analysis was carried out by using SPSS version 26. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 30.8±7.8 years, wherein highest number of respondents were in age group 20-30 years (50.3%). Among the respondents 86.7% were female, 83.4% were married and average monthly family income Tk. 53839±28587.7 taka. About 63% respondents had diploma degrees, 77.4% worked in different wards, and mean working hour per week was 51.9±5.6 hour. Overall, maximum 52.2% had moderate stress, while 39.4% had high stress and only 8.4% had low stress. Age >30 years, male, marital status, working place, having senior citizen (>60 years) and feeling stressed for isolation were the significant risk factors for having high stress level. Conclusion: Occupational health education, training programs, stress relieving programs, and motivational programs must be implemented in tertiary level hospitals. Special attention should be given on older aged married male nurses, having elderly family members and feeling stressed for isolation. JOPSOM 2023; 42(1):54-61

Prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors during COVID-19 pandemic in the capital of Bangladesh

BackgroundHypertension (HTN) has emerged as a significant public health challenge and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries like Bangladesh. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among residents of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage random sampling technique to select 305 individuals from Khilkhet Thana in Dhaka North City Corporation. Data were collected through direct surveys using a modified version of the WHO STEPS questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. FindingsThe study identified a 34.4 % prevalence of HTN among the participants, with 46.2 % of hypertensive individuals being under 40 years of age. Of the 105 hypertensive individuals, 65 % were newly diagnosed during the study, and 11 previously diagnosed individuals were not on any medication. A significant association (P < 0.001) was observed between the prevalence of HTN and inadequate intake of fruits (OR = 3.129, 95 % CI = 1.912–5.122, χ2 = 21.328), insufficient vegetables consumption (OR = 2.199, 95 % CI = 1.356–3.565, χ2 = 10.373), high intake of fatty foods (OR = 2.387, 95 % CI = 1.465–3.890, χ2 = 12.454), and excessive salt consumption (OR = 2.771, 95 % CI = 1.677–4.579, χ2 = 16.310). Additionally, the prevalence of HTN was notably higher among overweight (46.70 %) and at-risk (22.90 %) individuals, based on Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), respectively. The study also found significant correlations (P < 0.001) between HTN and factors such as smoking (OR = 2.824, 95 % CI = 1.601–4.980, χ2 = 13.432), kidney disease (OR = 7.534, 95 % CI = 2.694–21.070, χ2 = 19.282), general stress (OR = 3.692, 95 % CI = 2.179–6.255, χ2 = 24.896), COVID-19 related stress (OR = 3.511, 95 % CI = 2.116–5.826, χ2 = 24.712) and sleeping pattern (OR = 5.798, 95 % CI = 3.404–9.875, χ2 = 45.724). ConclusionsThe high prevalence of HTN, particularly among younger individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the urgent need for nationwide surveys, surveillance, and clinical research to accurately depict the true burden of HTN in Bangladesh.

Comparative assessment of waste-to-energy scenarios to mitigate GHG emission from MSW in a developing mega city

The search for sustainable municipal solid waste management in urban areas has become a dire need as the generated unprecedented volumes of waste eventually end up in landfills and emits greenhouse gas (GHG). To offer sustainable waste management in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the performance of incineration, anaerobic digestion, and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) based Waste to Energy (WtE) processes were assessed and compared. The population and the GDP of Dhaka North City Corporation from 2015 to 2023 were used to estimate the MSW generation rate with an empirical multivariable linear regression model. In 2023 around 3600 tons/day of MSW was generated which was 35 % higher than in 2015. The IPCC decay models, ZODM, FODM, and modified triangular model (MTM) yielded 87.3, 41.3, and 38-k tonnes of CH4 generation, respectively. The power generation from incineration-based plants can fall from 30 MW to 3 MW if the moisture content of MSW increases from 70 % to 90 %. Anaerobic digestion produces 34 MW of power. The Optimization of the HTC operating parameters was done and it demonstrates substantial energy potential (up to 65 MW with co-feeding of 420 tons/day of hydrochar with 426 tons/day of plastic from MSW) and GHG emission reduction (221.5 %) compared to landfilling. Additionally, HTC-derived wastewater presents an opportunity for nutrient recovery with 8.16 and 2.66, 0.3 tons/day of K, Na, and P reclamation potential, respectively. A comparison of different scenarios in plastic recycling in incineration and sensitivity analysis for three WtE schemes were conducted. Thus, the study provides a rigorous assessment of different pathways to offer a comprehensive framework for sustainable MSW management that contributes to a cleaner urban environment.

Mapping Environmental Quality Indices of Dhaka City by Using Geospatial Techniques

Dhaka, the city of over 10 million people is one of the most polluted cities due to rapid urbanization, commercial development and population pressure. The present study assessed an overall environmental quality of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) using an Environmental Quality Index (EQI) based on five indices: Air Quality Index (AQI), Water Quality Index (WQI), Soil Quality Index (SQI), Noise Quality Index (NQI), and Vegetation Index (VI). The final EQI was determined through selecting components from background literature and an overlay analysis using predefined weights for each distinct indices. The study reveals that the west and west-central part of DSCC have experienced the most severe environmental degradation, affecting noise levels, vegetation cover, air, soil, and water quality. However, the air is less polluted especially in the peripheral zones of the city corporations. Overall, the study indicates that the environmental quality of DNCC is comparatively better than DSCC. The results of the study provides an insight on environmental quality of the city for legislators, urban planners, environmentalists, and researchers to monitor and preserve environmental quality in making the city livable, healthy and sustainable. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 12(2), 2023, P 41-53

Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Farmgate Area of Dhaka North City Corporation

Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Farmgate Area of Dhaka North City Corporation

Balancing Economic Sustainability with Densification: A Case Study of Dhaka

Economically sustainable urban residential neighborhoods are characterized by adequate provision of physical infrastructure including transport facilities and utility services. The built urban fabric of residential areas of Dhaka has been undergoing densification operation over the past decades without considering the physical infrastructure capacity of these areas in terms of accessibility and provision of transportation and utility services. This intervention eventually exerted pressure on the existing infrastructure and caused negative externalities like traffic congestion, pollution, and water clogging. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the impact of densification on residential areas of Dhaka through the lens of economic sustainability. Seven residential areas from Old and New Dhaka that underwent various degreesof densification were selected as the study areas. Primary data was collected through a random sampling household questionnaire survey, fieldwork, and informal qualitative interviews with the residents and officials. Various published literature, newspaper articles, plans, and reports from government archives, Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) provided the secondary data. The analysis is carried out in two parts. In the firstpart the impact of densification on accessibility to transportation facilities and utility services is analyzed in terms of availability of the services, distance to the bus stops, average travel time, modal choice, and residents’ satisfaction level. The second part explores the relationship between density and aspects of economic sustainability through Pearson’s correlation test. The findings revealed that public transportation is more accessible in lower-density areas than the higher-density residential areas owing to the road network pattern. A significant service delivery gap except for water supply was observed regarding the provision and quality of gas, electricity, sewerage, and garbage disposal services across all the study areas. Overall, density was found to have a negative association with the accessibility to physical infrastructures indicating that high-density residential areas of Dhaka do not have increased access to public transport and utility services which is contrary to the expected benefits of high-density living. A comprehensive density planning with an integrated sustainable transport plan needs to be formulated where viable public transport like Bus Rapid Transit (BRTs) systems and waterways may mitigate the situation from further worsening.

Development of a spatial optimization model for MSW management by hydrothermal carbonization: A case study on Dhaka

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising solution to cope with the large amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced in densely populated metropolitan areas of developing countries. But technical and logistical limitations typically necessitate optimal plant locations and a strong supply chain for MSW-based HTC plants to be economically attractive. To that end, a novel linear programming (LP)-based spatial optimization model has been developed that takes multiple critical constraints (biomass availability, hydrochar yield, market demand, costs of transporting and handling biomass and hydrochar, and land cost) into account to maximize the net profit of HTC plants. Dhaka, being a mega city, is burdened with the issue regarding disposal of large quantity of MSW. A case study was conducted based on the MSW management system of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) for two schemes, a single (79.26 MWthermal) plant and a double (39.63 MWthermal) plant, in Dhaka city and its surrounding area. The model showed that the single plant scheme generated a higher profit (~18.5 million USD) than the double plant scheme (~17.7 million USD). Locations within Dhaka city near the secondary transfer stations were found to be favorable for plant establishment in both schemes. Further analysis revealed that plants' net profit is highly dependent on their optimal locations, with total transportation cost being the most significant location-sensitive element. Standardized coefficients suggest that for a single plant scheme, total transportation cost will always have a more dominant effect than land cost. This model will be able to guide the policy makers to take necessary steps for proper management of ever-growing city waste by setting up HTC facilities at optimal locations.

Prospects and challenges of achieving sustainable urban green-spaces: A case study of urban greening in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh

Urban green spaces and urban forest covers are a significant component of urban planning which is critically ignored in Bangladesh. This study aims to identify the prospects and challenges of achieving sustainable urban green spaces in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh which is a significant indicator of the sustainable development goal (SDG11). We have analyzed the historical land use and land cover change (LULC) from 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2022 using Landsat 4–5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) images by ArcGIS 10.8 and Google Earth-pro software. The use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) primarily indicates vegetation greenness as well as determining other land uses such as waterbody, settlements and barren land. The calculated kappa values varied from 80% to 86.7% for all the years and fit the current research. A strength-weakness-opportunity-threat (SWOT) analysis reviewed and analyzed existing sectoral policy and plans to identify challenges to achieve sustainable urban forestry. Fifteen key informant interviews (KII) from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Department of Environment (DOE), Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), and Department of Social Forestry Department (DSF) wing under BFD were taken to identify the status of urban forestry, its problems, opportunities, and threats. The responses were drawn using a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. Of the total measurements of 194.2sq km (2022), normal vegetation cover has decreased significantly from 1992 to 2022 by approximately 65.9%, while urban areas increased by almost 95% simultaneously. From 1992 to 2022, areas of water bodies decreased by more than 32.4%. The vegetation coverage in DNCC is only 16.17%, inferior in meeting sustainable urban greening to fulfil the criteria of sustainable cities and communities. From the KII, it is found that despite some relevant forestry policy and plans, limited lands, institutional corruption, and weak governance are the major institutional drawbacks. In the DNCC, unplanned and rapid megacity expansion, roads and utility service expansion weak institutional policy, plan, and program implementation for urban green space protection are some of the driving forces of green cover loss. Introducing strategic environmental assessment of urban forestry policy, plans, and programs, removing inter-institutional conflicts, strategic sectoral plans, and programs for increased green spaces through the bioeconomy concept is required. In addition, increased participation from urban stakeholders is some of the significant responses identified for strategic urban green space and forest cover improvement in DNCC.

Human health risk assessment of edible body parts of chicken through heavy metals and trace elements quantitative analysis.

Food safety and security have now been regarded as a significant emerging area within the food supply chain leading to scientific and public health concerns in the global world. The poultry sector is a substantial threat to heavy metal intoxication for Bangladeshi people due to contaminated drinking water and feed sources, as well as the poultry sector's surrounding environment and soil. This study was carried out to ascertain the residual concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd) and trace elements (Cr, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in various edible chicken body parts (breast, liver, gizzard, heart, kidney, and brain) to observe the quality of the consumed chickens and to assess public health risk. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to check the content of toxic heavy metals and trace elements in 108 samples of 18 broiler chickens collected from six different locations of Dhaka North City Corporation markets in Bangladesh. The measured concentrations (mg/kg fresh weight) ranged from 0.33±0.2 to 4.6±0.4, 0.004±0.0 to 0.125±0.2, 0.006±0.0 to 0.94±0.4, 4.05±4.2 to 92.31±48.8, 0.67±0.006 to 4.15±2.7, and 4.45±0.62 to 23.75±4.3, for Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Cu, and Zn respectively. Except for Pb and Cu most of the investigated heavy metals and trace element levels in chickens were lower than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) set by FAO/WHO and other regulatory agencies., The estimated level of Pb was nearly six times higher in the chicken brain. The estimated daily intake (EDI) values for all the studied metals were below the preliminary tolerated daily intake (PTDI). The target hazard quotient (THQ) values of the broiler chicken meat samples varied for adults and children, and the range was found to be 0.037-0.073 for Pb, 0.007-0.01 for Cd, 0.0-0.08 for Cr, 0.002-0.004 for Fe, for 0.00-0.002 Cu, and 0.004-0.008 for Zn, not exceeding the maximum level of 1 according to USEPA. The calculated THQ and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) values were measured at less than one, suggesting that the consumption of chicken meat has no carcinogenic danger to its consumers. The Target carcinogenic risks (TCRs) of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Cu were within acceptable limits. The TCR values for children were, to some extent, higher than that of adults, which proposes that regular monitoring of both harmful and essential elements in chicken samples is necessary to determine whether or not any possible health risk to consumers exists. In terms of health, this study demonstrated that consumers are chronically exposed to elemental contamination with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects.

Assessment of Level of Depression and Associated Factors among COVID-19-Recovered Patients: a Cross-Sectional Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has psychological consequences such as increased risk of depression, anxiety, and stress problems, exacerbating human health disparities. This study aimed to analyze depression and its causes in COVID-19-recovered patients in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted on COVID-19-recovered patients who attended follow-up visits after 14 days to 3 months at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Dhaka North City Corporation Hospital (DNCCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 1 January to 31 December 2021. Respondents were face-to-face interviewed with a semistructured questionnaire after written agreement. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess respondents' depression, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with a P value of <0.05 indicating statistical significance. A total of 325 COVID-19-recovered patients aged from 15 to 65 years (mean, 44.34 ± 13.87 years) were included in this study, the highest proportion (23.1%) of them were aged 46 to 55 years, and the majority (61.5%) of them were male. There were 69.5% of respondents who had no signs of depression while 31% of them did have signs, with 26.7% being mildly depressed, 2.5% being extremely depressed, and 1.2% being severely depressed. Diabetes mellitus, hospitalization duration, social distancing, social media posts on COVID-19, loss of employment, family damage, and fear of reinfection were significantly associated with depression level of respondents. This study gives us a glimpse into the psychological health of COVID-19-recovered patients, and its findings highlight the imperative of alleviating their psychological anguish in Bangladesh. IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on healthy populations, with increased depression, perceived stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and insomnia reported. The COVID-19 pandemic affects people's mental health by instilling fear of infection and depression. In the post-COVID-19 syndrome, depressive symptoms and clinically significant depression may have serious consequences for quality-of-life outcomes. To combat the spread of COVID-19, the Bangladesh government has implemented a number of measures, including lockdown, social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine. Given the negative consequences, it is critical to investigate potential factors and mechanisms that may shed light on mental health improvement. The purpose of the study is to determine the level of depression in patients 3 months after recovering from acute COVID-19. The study's findings highlight the need for COVID-19-infected people in Bangladesh to receive health education and interventions.

Early Prediction and HRCT Evaluation of Post Covid-19 Related Lung Fibrosis.

Early detection of post-COVID-19-related lung fibrosis is very important for the early introduction of treatment and to minimize morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is the early detection and evaluation of post-COVID-19 fibrosis by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). This prospective study included 115 patients irrespective of age and sex, who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal swab (RT PCR), admitted to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) dedicated COVID-19 hospital, Dhaka, and discharged after recovery. Patients went through a chest HRCT scan at least once during their hospital stay and another scan during follow-up after hospital discharge and 8 to 12 weeks of negative RT-PCR report. Among 100 patients 23 patients had >50% of total lung involvement by visual assessment. Thirty-three patients had 25% to 50% of total lung volume involvement. Twenty-seven patients had less than 25% of total lung involvement, whereas 17 patients had no visual fibrotic change on the follow-up HRCT scan. A statistical association was found between age, gender, smoking, and severe form of lung fibrosis (P < .05). Patients with mild CT severity score (⩽8) had a very good prognosis. Patients who were admitted to the hospital for more than 15 days were more prone to developing moderate and severe forms of fibrosis. Patients who received at least 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had less severe forms of fibrosis as well as more cases of complete radiological recovery. On the HRCT scan, most of the patients had bilateral, peripheral (68%), and predominant mid & lower lobar parenchymal involvement. Early detection and HRCT evaluation of post-COVID-19 related lung fibrosis is very crucial for early management and introduction of anti-fibrotic drugs.

Knowledge of Slum-Dwelling Adult Women Regarding Harms of Tobacco Use

Background: Tobacco use has become one of the major causes of premature deaths in developing countries including Bangladesh. Incidence of tobacco consumption among the women in developing country is increased day by day. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of slum dwelling adult women regarding harms of tobacco use. Materials &amp; Methods: This descriptive type of cross-sectional study was conducted in selected urban slums of Dhaka North City Corporation from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021. Total 300 slum dwelling adult women was selected by convenience sampling technique. Data were collected through face to face interview using a pre-tested semi structured questionnaire. Results: In the study, the mean age of the respondents was 32 (± 6.96) years where maximum (44.3%) within the age group of 20-29 years. Majorities (97%) of the respondents were muslim and 93.7% were married. Among them 29% women were completed primary education. Most (59.3%) of the respondents were home maker and majority (96.0%) of them were came from nuclear family. The study showed that most (56%) of the respondents consumed smokeless tobacco (Jarda, Sada pata, Gul) and only 1.7% respondents consumed smoking tobacco (bidi). Majority of the women knew that tobacco use can cause different types of cancer but many of them did not know that tobacco use had detrimental effects on reproductive health of women. Television (44.3%) was the main source of the information about harms of tobacco use. The mean knowledge score of the respondents was 7.8 (±2.4). Association between most of the socio-demographic variables and the respondent’s knowledge score regarding harms of tobacco use was found statistically significant (p&lt; 0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that the educational levels of most of the slum women were low and they had the lowest mean knowledge score regarding harmful effects of tobacco use. Health educational programs and awareness campaigns should be conducted among slum dwelling women of urban community to increase their knowledge on harmful effects of tobacco use. JOPSOM 2021; 40(2): 58-64

Promotional Tools Influencing Service Consumption of Platform Businesses: A Study on Dhaka City

This paper aims to investigate the impact of promotional tools on platform businesses, which is a capability-based value-creation business model. Primary and secondary information has been collected for this study to identify the affiliation between promotion and its impact on users’ responses. To test the hypothesis that the promotion of platform business leads to an increase in its usage rate, a survey is conducted, and respondents are selected from two different City Corporations in Dhaka. A descriptive analysis is made by surveying total of 219 respondents. Among them, 116 samples are collected from Dhaka South City Corporation &amp; remaining 103 samples are collected from Dhaka North City Corporation. The result revealed that there is an impact of promotion to increase the usage frequency of the platform’s users. Particularly sales promotional offers are mostly influencing users of platform businesses. It is also evident that due to promotional offers users are motivated for stockpiling which is directly hitting the sales revenue of the platform businesses.

Hygiene Practices in the Restaurants of Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh

Food safety in food establishments has been considered a global and increasing public health concern in developing countries like Bangladesh. Poor personal and environmental hygiene contributes to food contamination and results in food-borne diseases. This report represents the current hygienic state of middle-scale restaurants of Dhaka North City Corporation in Bangladesh. This study examines the prevailing environment, cleanliness, and hygiene practices of the randomly selected restaurants through on-site visiting. It was a cross-sectional observational study where a total of 134 restaurants were observed by taking the consent of the owner. The data were collected by a structured checklist where variables were categorized as acceptable, moderately acceptable, and unacceptable that denoting whether the restaurants perform all the hygiene practices properly or operate unhygienic activities on daily basis. However, the study revealed that most restaurants did not follow food hygiene practices whereas 12.7 % of restaurants were located beside unhygienic places, and 79.9 % didn’t have toilet facilities. Nevertheless, the practices of food handlers were also very alarming because most of them did not follow proper dress codes while distributing food among customers. Overall, the study explored that only 9% of restaurants conduct healthy practices whereas 46.3% carried out both healthy and unhealthy practices and 44.7% operate mostly unhygienic practices. Therefore, the study findings will assist the policy makers and planners in designing interventions to improve the sanitary conditions of food establishments and aware the consumer as well. Keywords: Food, Hygiene Practices, Restaurants of Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/119-05 Publication date: September 30 th 2022

Emerging small-scale textile industries in residential areas of Mirpur, Dhaka City, Bangladesh: an assessment of the discharged wastewater quality and potential impacts.

The textile industries in Bangladesh are establishing remarkable opportunities for the financial growth of Bangladesh but the rapid and unplanned expansion of small-scale textile industries in residential areas has resulted in alarming environmental concerns. To examine the current pollution scenario in Dhaka City, Bangladesh generated from small-scale textile industries in residential areas, a study was conducted in Dhaka North City Corporation, particularly in Mirpur Sect.7 and the Mirpur Shialbari area. Wastewater samples were collected from eight textile wet processing industries to assess the physio-chemical parameters of the samples. The investigation discovered that just two companies' wastewater samples (Industry 1 and 3) met the national standard set by the Department of Environment (DoE), Bangladesh as only these two sectors have Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) while the wastewater quality in the other industries (Industry 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) was unsatisfactory, indicating serious violations of the law. The results of the study will aid government policymakers in developing serious implementation strategies to prevent the discharge of untreated wastewater from small-scale companies in residential areas.

HRCT Evaluation of Post Vaccinated RT-PCR Positive COVID-19 Patients at A Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Large-scale vaccination of risk groups and later the general population is the single most effective public health measure for mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Methods and Materials: This prospective cross sectional study was carried out at Dhaka North City Corporation dedicated COVID-19 hospital, Mohakhali, Dhaka, enrolling 50 (fifty) vaccinated RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients.&#x0D; Results: Majority of the patients were &gt;50 years old. Most of the patients had bilateral lung involvement and ground glass was the predominant CT pattern. 20% patients had consolidation in HRCT scan. Most of the patients (46%) had mild disease and only 18% patients had severe disease. Severe cases were more common (77.8%) in older (&gt;50years) patients. 20% of the patients had 50-75% and only 6 % patients had more than 75% of total lung involvement. 52% patients had less than 25% lung involvement. Lung involvement was significantly higher in older patients. Patients had to stay an average of 6.2 days in hospital. Older patients had to stay more days in the hospital than younger patients. 2% (1) of COVID-19 patients died after admitting into our hospital.&#x0D; Conclusion: Vaccination can effectively reduce mortality and morbidity of COVID-19 patients by reducing the active number of cases as well as severity of the disease.

Intestinal Helminth infections and associated risk factors in dogs of Dhaka City, Bangladesh

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and related risk factors for intestinal helminth infections in companion and stray dogs from Dhaka, Bangladesh. In total 310 fecal samples were collected from companion dogs (206 samples) and stray dogs (104 samples) from Dhaka south city corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North city corporation (DNCC) areas. Salt flotation and formol ether concentration techniques were used to process the fecal samples. The prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in stray and companion dogs in DSCC was 48.98% and 18.02%, respectively, while in DNCC, it was 7.27% and 15.79%. Ancylostomatids showed the maximum prevalence (18.37%) followed by Toxocara canis (14.28%). Intestinal parasitic infections were more prevalent among female companion dogs (17.24%) than males (16.89%). Dogs of pure or mixed breed were prone to parasitic infections (29.09%). Outdoor access (P=0.000) and irregular deworming (P=0.000) were potential risk factors for intestinal helminth infections in companion dogs. Helminth infections in dogs could be a major public health concern. Proper sanitation measures especially in DSCC areas are necessary to check this alarming issue. Bangladesh J. Zool. 49 (3): 411-421, 2021

A social media-based assessment on the prevalence of dengue fever and Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) on dengue transmission in Dhaka city during 2020 COVID-19 outbreak

Dengue is one of the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide which is transmitted to humans by infected female Aedes mosquitoes. Bangladesh has become a suitable habitat for the vector of dengue and is struggling with dreadful outbreaks in recent years. This study used social media as a tool to conduct a survey with a detailed questionnaire on the prevalence of Dengue and knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) on Dengue transmission during 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. Out of 234 participants, prevalence of dengue was 21.37% with high prevalence of dengue fever (18.80%) followed by dengue hemorrhagic fever (2.14%) and dengue shock syndrome (0.43%). The highest prevalence was observed in people aged 21 to 30 years (11.54%). Male participants had higher prevalence (11.97%) compared to female (9.4%). Prevalence was 5.13% in Dhaka North City Corporation compared to 14.10% in Dhaka South City Corporation. The prevalence was highest in people with monthly income above 30000 BDT (9.40%). Prevalence of dengue was 18.38% for those who used mosquito repellents vs 2.99% those who didn’t use. Prevalence was 6.84% in those who had plants in tub, 3.85% with an indoor garden and 0.85% with bush. Only 11.97% remembered seeing any awareness campaigns, 94.44% knew how dengue was transmitted, 97.86% correctly mentioned the name of the vector. Alarmingly, only 65.81% answered correctly about the diurnal nature of Aedes and 53.42% responded that COVID-19 has affected the diagnosis and treatment of Dengue. Bangladesh J. Zool. 49 (3): 355-367, 2021

Private sector involvement in waste management of metropolises: Insights from Dhaka city

Privatization of municipal solid waste management has been widely studied for both developing and developed countries, producing evidence both for and against privatization. This research reiterates the importance of one of the largest megacities in the world – Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh – as a case study on this topic, and further nuances the debate about the role of privatization in municipal waste management. The focus is on one of its municipalities, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), where we provide comparative analysis of municipal solid waste collection and transportation between a total of 36 privatized and non-privatized administrative units. Landfill weigh-bridge data on monthly net weight of waste, number of sweepers, secondary transfer stations and vehicle data was collected from the DNCC for 36 consecutive months from 2017 January to 2019 December, and analyses were run using 30 months’ data till June. Fixed effects and “hybrid” random-effects regressions were run on the panel dataset to estimate both within-cluster and between-cluster effects. The results indicate that administrative units with privatized waste management have significantly higher waste collection on average, which can be explained by a higher number of high capacity dump trucks, though wider economic and demographic factors may be partly driving the difference. In-depth interviews with city corporation officials and contractors also provided valuable information on employment conditions. It is found that wages and benefits of sweepers under private contract are much lower. Moreover, since most sweepers are female, a gendered effect of privatization is evident.