WHO launches global strategic plan to combat rising dengue fever and other arboviral diseases transmitted by Aedes

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan (SPRP) to combat dengue and other diseases Aedes-transmitted arboviruses. The plan aims to reduce the burden of disease, suffering and death from dengue and other diseases Aedesto address arbovirus-borne diseases such as Zika and chikungunya by promoting a globally coordinated response.

The plan describes priority actions to contain transmission and provides recommendations to affected countries in various areas, including disease surveillance, laboratory activities, vector control, community engagement, clinical management and research and development, through a whole-of-society and regional approach.

An estimated four billion people worldwide are at risk of contracting arboviruses, and by 2050 this number is expected to rise to five billion. Dengue cases have increased sharply in all six WHO regions, and the number of cases has roughly doubled each year since 2021, with over 12.3 million cases as of the end of August this year – almost double the 6.5 million figure Cases reported throughout 2023.

Dengue fever is endemic in tropical and subtropical climates, particularly Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Americas. Equally worrying is the situation in Africa, where countries in the midst of conflict and natural disasters are battling multiple diseases, putting additional strain on already fragile health systems. In December 2023, WHO upgraded the current global dengue outbreak to Level 3, the highest level of urgency for WHO to help countries strengthen their surveillance capacity and implement response measures.

“The rapid spread of dengue and other arboviral diseases in recent years is an alarming trend that requires a coordinated response across sectors and borders,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO. “From maintaining clean environments to supporting vector control to finding and providing timely medical care, everyone has a role to play in the fight against dengue. This plan is a roadmap to turn the tide against these and other diseases AedesArbovirus-borne diseases protect vulnerable populations and pave the way for a healthier future.”

Factors such as unplanned urbanization and poor water, sanitation and hygiene practices, climate change and international travel promote the rapid geographical spread of dengue. The disease is now endemic in more than 130 countries. Similar trends can also be observed in other arbovirus diseases, such as: B. Zika, Chikungunya and more recently the Oropouche virus, especially in America. This global escalation highlights the urgent need for a robust strategy to reduce risk and protect the population.

The SPRP includes five key components essential to a successful outbreak response:

1. Emergency coordination: Establishing leadership and coordination activities;
2. Collaborative monitoring: Development and use of tools for the early detection and control of dengue fever and other diseases Aedes-related outbreaks, including enhanced indicator and event-based surveillance, epidemiological analysis, laboratory diagnostics and field investigations;
3. Community protection: Engaging communities through active dialogue and local adaptation of prevention and response measures, including mosquito population control;
4. Secure and scalable care: Ensuring effective clinical management and resilient health services to ensure patients receive appropriate care and prevent illness and death; And
5. Access to countermeasures: Promote research and innovation for improved treatments and effective vaccines against these diseases.

The plan will be implemented over a one-year period ending in September 2025 and requires $55 million to support health preparedness, preparedness and response efforts. It is in line with the Global Vector Control Response 2017-2030, a global strategy to strengthen vector control worldwide, and the Global Arbovirus Initiative, launched in 2022, focused on combating mosquito-borne arboviruses with epidemic potential.

The SPRP is a call to action for all stakeholders – from government agencies and healthcare providers to communities and individuals – to join forces in the fight against dengue and others AedesTransmitted arboviruses through innovation, new technologies and improved vector control strategies.