Information drive against dengue intensified

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, in partnership with Sanofi Pasteur, is currently making the rounds of major cities to intensify the information campaign against dengue.

The initiative, dubbed as “Pinoy Laban sa Dengue: From information to prevention,” kicked off in Makati City last June 22. It aims to further raise the awareness of the public about dengue and serve as a platform to share prevention and control components against the disease. 

Updates on the dengue vaccine being developed by Sanofi Pasteur were also shared.

The next cities to be visited by the team are Pasig, Cebu and Bacolod.

Still a public health challenge

Updates on the dengue situation in the country were shared during the forum held at the Makati City Hall. Dr. Rose Capeding, head of the dengue research group of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, said dengue continues to be a global health challenge.

The number is quite staggering, with 2.5 billion people at risk in over 100 countries and 220 million people infected annually. Two million, mostly children, develop a severe form of the disease.

“Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia are the first five countries with the highest number of reported cases,” said Capeding, adding that most of the reported cases are severe ones.

Many factors contribute to the spread of dengue fever, including significant population growth and increased travel. “Significant population growth has meant that the cities have grown fast without the sanitary conditions for combating the disease. The shanty towns surrounding large cities in the poorest countries are ideal grounds for the propagation of the mosquitoes, and therefore the disease,” said Capeding.

Possible answer to global threat

There is not one single effective way of fighting dengue and vaccination may prove to be an important weapon in fighting against the disease. 

Sanofi Pasteur has taken the challenge of providing the first dengue vaccine for individuals living in endemic areas such as the Philippines.

In the country, clinical trials are done in Laguna and Cebu. Capeding reported that results from large and extensive pre-clinical and clinical evaluation showed that there was a satisfactory safety profile. 

There was also a broad and balanced immune response against all four serotypes observed in children and adults from endemic and non-endemic areas after three doses of the vaccine. The vaccine is now in phase III trial, the final phase prior to licensing.

“The goal is to make the dengue vaccine available as early as 2014, to be readily introduced in countries with the highest burden of the disease,” said Capeding.

Constant vigilance

Meanwhile, Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, encouraged everyone to continue implementing preventive measures against dengue up to the time that the vaccine is available in the market.

Citing Makati as one of the city governments with the best anti-dengue program, she urged other local government units to be as vigilant against the disease.

“Our efforts against the disease should be sustainable. It should not wax and wane,” said Bravo. 

She said dengue control should be everyone’s concern. “The success depends on the involvement of all levels from households, families, communities, NGOs, social organizations, to local and national authorities,” she said.