Region-wide campaign launched to fight dengue

[webfact]

Region-wide campaign launched to fight dengue
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation



Initiative aims to stop outbreaks, rid atrisk areas of carrier mosquitoes

BANGKOK: -- DENGUE MISSION Buzz, a regional campaign against dengue fever, was launched on Sunday in response to the rising number of dengue cases in Southeast Asia and for the Asean Dengue Fever Day, which is marked on June 15 yearly.

The campaign launch, held in Laos first on Sunday and in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam yesterday, was presided over by Laos' Vice Public Health Minister Boonkong Sihawong. The ceremony included a 20-kilometre bicycle rally in Vientiane to help publicise the campaign and raise awareness.

"Asean saw many severe dengue cases in 2013," Wichai Satimai from Thailand's Disease Control Department said at the ceremony.

Eric Mansion, managing director of Sanofi Pasteur (Thailand, Laos and Myanmar), explained that the campaign's key aim was to prevent outbreaks by teaching people how to protect themselves and to rid the region of mosquitoes carrying the disease.

He said campaign teams would focus first on areas most at risk. In Thailand, the at-risk areas are Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom and Rayong provinces. A global leader in vaccines, Sanofi Pasteur is now researching vaccines for dengue.

Wichai said Thailand recognised the need to work with other states in the battle against dengue.

"Studies in 2013 revealed that dengue infections began in Malaysia before moving to the south of Thailand and spreading across the country and beyond. This is why we have to work closely with others," he said.

Wichai said the Public Health Ministry was working with its counterparts in nine Asean countries on disease control, as easy travel connections between the nations might spread the infections further.

According to data compiled by Sanofi Pasteur, Asia has had the highest incidence of dengue cases, accounting for 75 per cent of total infections. Statistics also show that 1.8 billion people in Asia of the total 2.5 billion people most at risk were prone to the disease.

In Thailand, 17,000 people have already come down with dengue infections this year and four more months remain in the peak infection period, which is from May to September. In 2013, Thailand had some 150,454 dengue cases and 133 fatalities.

Dr Ferdinal M Fernando, assistant director and chief of the Health and Communicable Diseases Divi-sion of the Asean Socio-Cultural Community Department, said den-gue was a great threat due to higher mortality. He said this was aggravated by different factors such as changes in environment and climate, social behaviour, urbanisation and population density, to name a few.

"Asean Dengue Day provides an ideal platform for advocating more effective strategies to manage dengue, as well as discuss current unmet needs. Initiatives like the Dengue Mission Buzz further strengthens public-private partnership opportunities in raising awareness of the dengue disease in our communities," Dr Fernando said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Region-wide-campaign-launched-to-fight-dengue-30262385.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-16

[cumgranosalum]

To which Thailand will say "very good idea"......and then?????

[Keesters]

What about some real action instead of these empty words which we've all heard before. Not seen any fogging in Pattaya for about 10 years.

[prakhonchai nick]

All this planned activity for less deaths in Thailand per year than the number killed on the roads every day.

PRIORITIES!

[AlQaholic]

No. Cause Estimated number of deaths (in millions) Percent of all deaths

1 Ischaemic heart disease 7.25 12.8

2 Cerebrovascular disease 6.15 10.8

3 Lower respiratory infections 3.46 6.1

4 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 3.28 5.8

5 Diarrhoeal diseases 2.46 4.3

6 HIV/AIDS 1.78 3.1

7 Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers 1.39 2.4

8 Tuberculosis 1.34 2.4

9 Diabetes mellitus 1.26 2.2

10 Road traffic accidents 1.21 2.1

11 Hypertensive heart disease 1.15 2.0

12 Prematurity and low birth weight 1.00 1.8

Dengue did not make it on the WHO list of most deadly diseases worldwide, or it might be included in the "Diarrhoeal diseases". Interestingly Malaria and Measles did not make it onto the list either.

Top killer of children under 5 is still birth related or premature, and second killer is Diarrhoeal disease, so why not focus on access to clean water instead of a disease with a mortality rate of 0.00088%?

Edited June 16, 2015 by AlQaholic

[deecypher]

I think it would be pertinent to explain in the article steps individuals can take to reduce the risks, instead of simply talk statistics. Remove any stagnant water, cover up, wear deet, etc.

Interesting that they're only focusing on 3 out of 76 provinces.

[h90]

No. Cause Estimated number of deaths (in millions) Percent of all deaths

1 Ischaemic heart disease 7.25 12.8

2 Cerebrovascular disease 6.15 10.8

3 Lower respiratory infections 3.46 6.1

4 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 3.28 5.8

5 Diarrhoeal diseases 2.46 4.3

6 HIV/AIDS 1.78 3.1

7 Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers 1.39 2.4

8 Tuberculosis 1.34 2.4

9 Diabetes mellitus 1.26 2.2

10 Road traffic accidents 1.21 2.1

11 Hypertensive heart disease 1.15 2.0

12 Prematurity and low birth weight 1.00 1.8

Dengue did not make it on the WHO list of most deadly diseases worldwide, or it might be included in the "Diarrhoeal diseases". Interestingly Malaria and Measles did not make it onto the list either.

Top killer of children under 5 is still birth related or premature, and second killer is Diarrhoeal disease, so why not focus on access to clean water instead of a disease with a mortality rate of 0.00088%?

Measles is relative harmless....everyone in my age had it and no one ever died in the west. Situation in countries with malnutrition is of course different.

[Emster23]

I've had it twice in last 4 years.... not fun, but not major killer. Like said about traffic deaths being much more wide spread and should be focus of public heath orgs in Thailand at least. But that would require change in behavior of drivers and we can't expect that.

[cumgranosalum]

All this planned activity for less deaths in Thailand per year than the number killed on the roads every day.

PRIORITIES!

That is a very simplistic and facile way of looking at the problem as tackling one issue doesn't exclude tackling another separate one simultaneously.

[zappalot]

Send inspectors searching cities as well as rural areas for any puddles/waters suitable for breeding mosquitoes and fine the owners of the land or houses such puddles could be found.

Right now Thais don't care at all when they provide excellent breeding conditions for mosquitoes.