Singapore's dengue fight plan may go regional

Today Online 10 May 08;

COME September, a single comprehensive programme to battle dengue could be endorsed as a guide for countries in the Asia-Pacific — and Singapore's strategies may well form the core of the plan.

Despite the surge in cases here over the years, experts have lauded the Republic's approach to battling the mosquito-borne disease.

In fact, as some 75 participants and World Health Organisation (WHO) observers finalised an Asia-Pacific Dengue Strategic Plan at the end of a five-day meeting here, the 38 key activities that serve as its framework are all part of Singapore's dengue control strategies, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

For example, measures such as integrated surveillance (combining laboratory and field-based efforts), collaboration of stakeholders from different sectors and the use of a geographic information system came in for praise by the WHO — and are part of the plan to be submitted to the region's health ministers for endorsement.

"Indeed, WHO has noted that our programme is very comprehensive," said an NEA spokesperson.

Still, Singapore registered an increase of 421 dengue cases in the first four months of this year over the 1,195 cases in the same period last year.

The WHO and NEA noted the "increasing threat from dengue", and therefore the need for a regional strategic plan "robust enough to guide national anti-dengue plans".

The plan covers six programme areas: Surveillance, integrated vector management, case management, social mobilisation and communication, outbreak response and research.

Other activities include building up laboratory capability, establishing a formal national structure to coordinate among agencies and developing more effective diagnostics, suitable vaccine and anti-virus drugs.

The countries also mooted the idea of regional training programmes, and Singapore plans to host a dengue technical workshop for the region at the end of the year.

Officials finalise regional plan to tackle dengue
Business Times 10 May 08;

HEALTH officials and researchers from Asia-Pacific have finalised a regional plan to combat dengue, following a five-day meeting in Singapore, which concluded yesterday.

Some 75 World Health Organisation (WHO) observers identified key programme areas for the plan. These include surveillance, integrated vector management, case management, social mobilisation and communication, outbreak response, and research.

The officials also drew up 38 specific recommended activities, which - along with the six programme areas - will guide their own national anti-dengue plans. The activities range from those focusing on an effective surveillance system, to community-centric actions for dengue control.

During the last two days of the meeting, participants assessed their national programmes against the recommended activities. In the area of surveillance, for instance, they realised the need to build up laboratory capability and integrate both lab and field-based surveillance efforts to minimise dengue outbreaks. Other issues raised include the idea of having training programmes.

The regional plan will be submitted to the Health Ministers' meeting in September this year.

WHO statistics show that some 2.5 billion people are at risk of dengue globally. More than 70 per cent of them live in the Asia-Pacific. The disease is also spreading to new geographical areas and causing, in some cases, high mortality during the early phase of the outbreaks.