At the launch of Viet Nam's first-ever celebration of ASEAN Dengue Day, representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Pasteur Institute, the World Health Organization (WHO) and local provincial government gathered in the southern city of Can Tho in a show of unity in the battle against dengue which has developed into a formidable threat to health across the Asia Pacific region.
ASEAN Dengue Day celebration was identified by the Health Ministers of the 10 ASEAN Member States in 2010 as an annual event to be held every June 15 to increase public awareness on dengue prevention and control. Activities are being conducted at regional, national and sub-national levels to raise awareness.
"The important thing to remember is that beating dengue is everybody's responsibility. The disease cannot be fought merely at the level of the health response. It is also an environmental problem, and that means everyone from national governments down to the householder needs to work to eliminate the presence of mosquitoes." said Dr. Shin Young-Soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
The Government of Viet Nam made dengue prevention and control a health priority with the establishment of a National Dengue Control Programme in 1999. In the last 20 years dengue mortality and morbidity has been successfully reduced across the country. However, the number of dengue cases remains high with more than 100,000 reported cases each year since 2007. The average annual morbidity has, however, fallen from 112 per 100 000 population to 93 per 100 000 population for the period 2001-2010.
While the spread of dengue is heavily concentrated in southern Viet Nam (approximately 70% of the reported cases), higher levels of infection were recently being reported in the central and highlands areas of Viet Nam, indicating a potential geographic expansion in dengue activity.
Dengue is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world with the Asia Pacific region bearing 75% of the current global disease burden. The virus which causes dengue is rapidly evolving with increased frequency of outbreaks and expansion to new geographical areas that were previously unaffected. The spread of new serotypes into Western Pacific countries as a result of international travel is of further concern.
WHO reports indicate that between 2001-2002 annual dengue cases in the Asia Pacific region peaked at around 100 000. In 2010, the total reported number of dengue cases had risen to 350 000 cases with 1070 deaths. Viet Nam is one of the five countries in the region with the highest dengue burden.
For more information, please contact
WHO Viet Nam | Laura Ngo-Fontaine | tel. 3943 3734 Ext. 83826 | Ngofontainel@wpro.who.int