Selangor Malaysia Govt Joins Indonesia in Fighting Dengue Fever

December 22, 2024 | 08:49 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Selangor State Government from Malaysia conducted a two-day study tour to East Kalimantan, Indonesia, to learn about best practices in dengue control, involving advocacy and vaccination initiatives. The inter-country meeting highlighted the pilot dengue vaccination program in East Kalimantan, which is the first public dengue vaccination initiative in Indonesia. The visit included meetings with local health authorities, schools, health centers, and visits to health offices, as well as a scientific forum that dissected dengue prevention initiatives and public health policies.

Selangor State Executive Councilor for Public Health and Environment, Yang Berhormat Puan Jamaliah binti Jamaluddin said the meeting, which took place in mid-December 2024, was an effort by the Selangor State Government to address dengue, which is a growing public health threat. Moreover, the highest number of dengue cases occur in Selangor. "With almost half of the dengue cases in Malaysia reported in Selangor, this has put considerable pressure on our health care system and economy," said YB Jamaliah binti Jamaluddin in a press statement received by Tempo in mid-December 2024.

Through exchanging expertise and important learnings from East Kalimantan on advocacy and dengue vaccination programs at the provincial level, his team hopes to lay the foundation for the first state dengue vaccination program in Selangor. "We greatly appreciate Dr. Jaya and his team for hosting and sharing their experiences to strengthen regional efforts in dengue prevention," said YB Jamaliah.

Selangor recently allocated RM4 million or around Rp14.354 billion, in the 2025 state budget for dengue control and prevention. One of the steps is to strengthen the commitment to a comprehensive approach ranging from innovative solutions to including vaccination, to reduce dengue incidence and hospitalization rates. Selangor wants to implement a dengue vaccination program in its own state, the information gained from this meeting will be very important in forming a holistic strategy that addresses the growing public health threat, such as dengue.

This inter-country meeting is expected to strengthen dengue control efforts at the regional level in terms of dengue prevention. "Our advocacy and dengue vaccination initiatives demonstrate our commitment to protecting the community from the global and Indonesian public health threat, namely dengue fever," said Head of the East Kalimantan Provincial Health Office, Jaya Mualimin.

To address the problem of dengue fever at the provincial level, the East Kalimantan Provincial Health Office introduced dengue vaccination to 9,800 elementary school children in Balikpapan. As of October 2024, the Balikpapan City Health Office reported that vaccination had been given to 90 percent of its total target population, or more than 8,800 children.

The dengue vaccination initiative was then expanded to Samarinda City, targeting 2,750 elementary school children in North Samarinda District. Jaya said the dengue vaccination initiative in East Kalimantan Province was the first public regional vaccination for dengue in Indonesia. "This program reflects our commitment to lead the dengue prevention efforts," said Jaya.

"We believe that the information shared during this meeting, around our advocacy and vaccination initiatives, will contribute to the ongoing efforts of the Selangor State Government and inspire further regional exchange and collaboration to combat dengue," he said.

The East Kalimantan Provincial Health Office hopes that this initiative can support the World Health Organization's goal of achieving zero dengue deaths by 2030. To that end, this inter-country activity emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to dengue control, which includes vector control, case management, vaccination, and community education.

Moving forward, the outcomes of this meeting will serve as a basis for each country to strengthen its dengue management strategy. By incorporating innovative prevention into national programs and fostering regional collaboration networks, Indonesia and Malaysia can work together to achieve the ambitious goal of zero dengue deaths by 2030. This inspiring vision highlights the power of shared commitment and collective action in addressing the public health challenges we face.

President Director of PT Takeda Innovative Medicines, Andreas Gutknecht said his team is committed to fighting dengue fever through various efforts, including vaccination. "We are committed to making our vaccine widely accessible. We also support many initiatives beyond our vaccine, especially in educating frontline health workers and the public about dengue fever and comprehensive dengue prevention. Only with collaborative efforts and integrated strategies will we be able to win this fight," he said.

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