PRNewswire

Singapore, June 15: The Asia Dengue Voice and Action Group (ADVA) and partner organisations from across Asia have signed a new regional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen regional cooperation on dengue prevention and control. The partnership comes at a critical time as countries face growing mosquito populations, rising dengue risks and increasing case numbers, driven in part by climate change and urbanisation in the region.

- Announced at the 9th Asia Dengue Summit in conjunction with ASEAN Dengue Day and the first WHO-recognised World Dengue Day, the MoU establishes a regional framework for knowledge-sharing, advocacy and coordinated dengue action.

The MoU establishes a regional framework for ongoing knowledge exchange, coordination and collaboration among advocacy groups, community organisations and public health stakeholders working to address dengue across Asia. Participating organisations will collaborate on public education, regional advocacy and the exchange of outbreak insights and community-based approaches, while exploring joint publications, policy recommendations, regional awareness campaigns, educational resources and digital knowledge-sharing platforms to support more coordinated dengue action across the region.

Signatories to the MoU include ADVA, the Philippines Empowering Networks to Defeat Dengue Coalition (END Dengue), Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia (DPAM), Indonesia's Kobar Lawan Dengue, the Singapore Dengue Alliance, and the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD). As the convening organisation, ADVA will facilitate engagement on emerging insights, common challenges and explore opportunities for collective action.

Professor Tikki Pangestu, Advisor, ADVA and Visiting Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, said, 'There is no single solution to dengue. Sustainable progress requires a holistic approach that brings together effective surveillance, vector control, clinical management, community education and vaccination. As countries across Asia continue to face a growing dengue burden, it is essential that we learn from one another's experiences and work together to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based strategies. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening regional collaboration and advancing practical solutions that can help move us closer to the goal of zero dengue deaths.'

The MoU was signed on ASEAN Dengue Day and the first World Health Organisation (WHO)-recognised World Dengue Day in the presence of Guest of Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry of Education, Singapore, as well as ambassadors and diplomatic representatives representing countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. The ceremony was part of the 9th Asia Dengue Summit - a regional platform that brings together policymakers, scientists, clinicians, public health experts and advocacy groups to advance dengue prevention and response across Asia.

Professor Ooi Eng Eong, from the Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme at Duke-NUS Medical School, said, 'We are at a very different point in the dengue response today compared with a decade ago. Advances in surveillance, vector control and vaccination have expanded what countries can do, but progress remains uneven. The next challenge is implementation: ensuring that these advances are used consistently, sustained beyond outbreak periods and translated into measurable public health impact. That will be critical if the region is to move closer to Zero Dengue Deaths by 2030.'

Associate Professor Ng Lee Ching, Group Director of Environmental Health Institute (EHI), National Environment Agency (NEA) Singapore, said, 'Dengue control cannot rely on a single intervention or a single agency alone. Singapore's experience has shown that sustained surveillance, clinical management, vector control, public awareness and community participation all play an important role in managing dengue risks. Maintaining a multi-sectoral effort consistently over time remains critical, even outside major outbreak periods.'

Running from 15-17 June, the Summit brings together stakeholders from across the dengue control ecosystem to bridge the gap between scientific progress and real-world impact. Through discussions on dengue policy, scientific innovation, vector control, vaccine implementation and youth engagement initiatives such as the Dengue Slayers Challenge, participants will explore how progress in dengue prevention and control can be translated into greater public health impact across the region.

For more information about the 9th Asia Dengue Summit or to access resources on dengue prevention and advocacy, visit https://www.asiadenguesummit.org/ or https://www.adva.asia/.

About ADVAAsia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA) is a scientific working group dedicated to dengue vaccine advocacy in Asia, with the aim of disseminating information and making recommendations on dengue vaccine introduction strategies in Asia. The group has formulated recommendations with an ultimate aim of translating the science of dengue vaccination into messages for policy makers, general public and health care workers. For more information, visit https://www.adva.asia/

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