Experts stress on strategies, prevention measures to combat dengue threat

As climate change exacerbates the spread and intensity of mosquitoes breeding across the country and dengue threat looms large, experts have stressed on strategies including larval elimination, development of patient-friendly drugs and vaccines, and engagement with local communities and effective prevention measures to combat the escalating threat which is on the rise across the countries.

Dr. Tanu Jain, Director of the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) emphasised the necessity of intersectoral coordination and greater community involvement in combating infectious diseases like dengue, particularly with the impending monsoon season. “For the community, it starts with awareness about the importance of cleanliness inside and outside their homes, and in workspaces,” Dr. Jain highlighted.

She was speaking at a recent community forum organized by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) South Asia in collaboration with Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi here titled  “Dengue Jagrukta Abhiyan: Samudaik Bhagidari, Sabki Jimmewari,” that aimed to foster unity among communities in the fight against dengue.

Dr. Balram Bhargava, Former Secretary of the Department of Health Research & Director General of ICMR, underscored the urgent need for new diagnostic kits and the fast-tracking of trials for dengue drugs and vaccines. Likewise, Dr. Kavita Singh, Director of South Asia DNDi, stressed the importance of diverse collaborations in tackling global health issues, including inter-ministerial cooperation and action-oriented dialogues among community members, ASHA workers, and health professionals.

“This is especially true for the Asia region where dengue is the fastest spreading vector-borne disease and carries over 70 percent of the disease burden,” she noted while Dr. Nandini Sharma, Ex Director & Head of Community Medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College, discussed the necessity of creating patient-friendly drugs. “The development of a vaccine will not guarantee its widespread acceptability unless the community is fully convinced of its efficacy.”

Dengue, the most prevalent mosquito-borne disease globally, has seen a significant rise in cases in India over the past two decades owing to rapid urbanization, population growth, rising temperatures, and climate change.