Thai Health Ministry rolls out plan for 'war' on dengue fever

[webfact]

Health Ministry rolls out plan for 'war' on dengue fever
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry has announced it will push for the establishment of dengue-fever "war rooms" across the country in all provinces.

The move follows a dengue fever pandemic that has claimed over 50 lives this year alone. As of June 11, 43,609 Thais have contracted dengue fever this year.

According to the ministry, war rooms have currently been set up in only 26 of Thailand's 77 provinces.

-- The Nation 2013-06-14

[GentlemanJim]

Well I bet if you didn't throw 260 Billion down the toilet (put into wealthy peoples accounts!), and spent it on research of Dengue Fever and Malaria you would go a long way to eradicating it. Now there's a good use of money!

[bigbamboo]

How do you make war on mosquitoes?

Issue everyone in the room with one of those bats?

[MaxLee]

WAR OH WAR,... when the worst things already happened, for keeping so quite, WAR OH WAR

[affen02]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyeres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

[Thai at Heart]

Is this the start of the good news onslaught?

Well, bring it on, because our neighbourhood is swamped with bloody mozzzzzzzies.

[Sunderland]

"Health Ministry roles rolls out plan for 'war' on dengue fever" ?

Shouldn't it be "Health Ministry rules out plan for dengue fever" ?

Declaring war and being a hub of everything is a national hobby ... closely followed by 'sleep' and 'play game' ... oh, and wearing silly colour shirts and masks.

Edited June 14, 2013 by Sunderland

[culicine]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

After decades of dengue you'd think Thais would have the sense to cover pots of water or empty unneeded ones. The only way to control dengue is through community action and cooperation - especially education of the young. I don't recall much at all about mosquitoes and mosquito borne viruses in the primary curriculum though. Whole families have also tried dengue - infected by the same mosquito at the same time!

[Thai at Heart]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

After decades of dengue you'd think Thais would have the sense to cover pots of water or empty unneeded ones. The only way to control dengue is through community action and cooperation - especially education of the young. I don't recall much at all about mosquitoes and mosquito borne viruses in the primary curriculum though. Whole families have also tried dengue - infected by the same mosquito at the same time!

My wife dropped her keys in the drain last week at night.

Shine a flashlight. I somehow think that chucking out one old plant pot full of water is rather irrelevant when the drains and sewers are teeming with them.

[espinoza]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyeres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

What about the thousands of ponds filled with water ? The rice paddys ? They should start some serious recearch to eliminate the mosqitos for ever. Use poison, give them deseases, make them sterile, whatever. Why not spend some more money on vaccine development ? I don`t think any poster will save my as.

[noitom]

This Dengue Fever and Zika and mosquito problem in general, is well beyond the capability, zeal and willingness of Thais to resolve. WHO organization should get involved pronto and provide direction to floundering Thais.

[rfukata]

with the rainy season in presence, the cases of dengue will continue its path of pandemic infections. There are just too many water

associated breeding grounds for various pest, insect, rodents, etc with little or no effort to prevent.

[NongKhaiKid]

More buzz words, " war ", " push for establishment of war rooms " but let's get into what's really important.

Will the war rooms have a budget and will disbursement of the funds require a meeting at a five star hotel or at least the best in the area ? Will there be poster or spraying campaigns, how will it be decided that contracts for print, insecticides and services be decided and who will finally get the contracts ? I'm sure we can all guess what will go on there.

By the time this is all arranged the rainy season will be over with and sadly the death toll will probably have risen but everyone will be ready for next year.

[webfact]

'War' on dengue fever
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry has announced it will push for the establishment of a dengue fever "war room" in all provinces.

The move follows a dengue fever pandemic that has claimed over 50 lives this year alone. As of June 11, 43,609 Thais have contracted dengue fever. So far, war rooms have been set up in only 26 of Thailand's 77 provinces.

"The number of dengue-fever patients has jumped nearly 3.1 times compared with the same period last year," the Public Health Minis-try's permanent secretary

Dr Narong Sahametapat said yesterday.

He added that the number of deaths also soared dramatically, from five in 2012 to 50 in the first half of this year.

Narong said he was concerned the number of dengue-fever patients could jump two-fold over the next three months.

He said the Public Health Ministry had requested that the Interior Ministry implement the plan to set up dengue fever war rooms in all 77 provinces. The war rooms would fall under the control of provincial governors - freeing the ministry from having to oversee them directly.

Disease Control Depart-ment's director-general Dr Porntep Siriwanarangsun said he was very concerned about the spread of dengue fever to new provinces - especially Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Lampang and Tak.

He said the ministry would now focus on minimising the mortality rate. "If any patient comes down with a high fever that does not dissipate within three days, that person should immediately see a doctor for a proper diagnosis," Pornthep said.


-- The Nation 2013-06-15

[bushwacker]

A genetics university course that I took last year on the internet for fun, was talking about the breeding of a micro "do-hicky" (scientific term ) that attaches itself to the virus on a mossie that kills the dengue causing element. Apparently it is very cheap and very effective. They can breed mossies with the do-hicky and they take over the mossie population so that after a few months there is no longer any mossies with dengue virus. It has been tested in places in Aussie land and seems to work quite well. So why is it not being used here??????????????????

[drdoom6996]

Should have bought insect repellent instead of tablets.

[cup-O-coffee]

Bang the drums! Sound the horns! Deploy the marching bands! Thailand is on the move to a better future again! Oh hoo-ray for us! I feel so... well... so very good inside!

[fxe1200]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyeres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

What about the thousands of ponds filled with water ? The rice paddys ? They should start some serious recearch to eliminate the mosqitos for ever. Use poison, give them deseases, make them sterile, whatever. Why not spend some more money on vaccine development ? I don`t think any poster will save my as.

Vaccine can not be developed as the dengue-virus is changing rapidly. Vaccine developed would take time in the first place, and when it is available,it would be useless.

There should be a ban on all open sewage channels, sewers and such. That would eliminate the breeding surface of the mosquito. But in Thailand zillions of houses are being built, and the open sewers remain. Professional approach of a health problem in Thailand.

[lineofentry]

If it's war against mosquitoes, I'll join up, where do I sign?

[Pattaya28]

If only 50 died so far this year with dengue fever, then the money should be spent on preventing road deaths, where over 6000 have already died.

[Beats56]

They could start to put up posters everywhere and massive radio, no tv ads about a few small things u should avoid doing, like keeping pots and old tyres from cars with water around everywhere. This is breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. I have tried dengue fever, and believe me not funny at all.

After decades of dengue you'd think Thais would have the sense to cover pots of water or empty unneeded ones. The only way to control dengue is through community action and cooperation - especially education of the young. I don't recall much at all about mosquitoes and mosquito borne viruses in the primary curriculum though. Whole families have also tried dengue - infected by the same mosquito at the same time!

The best defense is a offense...they did spray our area with fog in Rayong. Had get in the house and close the doors and windows when I saw this white fog coming. You got use deet, not the safest stuff to use but at least you wont get them buggers biting you. Your right it all comes down to education.

[rogerluli]

A simple, effective solution...

http://youtu.be/cpsRAk5HpK4

[Payboy]

If it's really a war, shouldn't the Thai's align with the mozzies? Wrong side as usual.

[lee b]

i hate these mozzzzzzzzzies !!

[Thai at Heart]

Make all mozzies in red areas wear yellow and vice versa. Let war begin

[Thongkorn]

No known vaccination for Dengue fever, friend of mine who is Thai, who lives in the UK , has just come back from Thailand, and is now in Hospital with malaria.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Thongkorn