Why is Dengue still a problem? – by Dr Tharani Loganathan

Dengue continues to be a serious problem in Malaysia. In the first half of this year (Jan-May 2019), we had more than 46,000 dengue cases, with 74 deaths reported. Why aren’t we getting anywhere with dengue prevention and Aedes control efforts? Is the world’s first dengue vaccine safe, especially after what happened in the Philippines? Discussing these issues and more with Meera Sivasothy on the Health and Living Segment of BFM 89.9, the Business Station is Dr Tharani Loganathan, Public Health Physician and Medical lecturer from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Malaya and as well as Dr Shreema Rasiah, Public Health Physician & Gombak District Health Officer.

Dr Tharani urges the public to take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of their surroundings. She talks about the need for proactive preventive measures in destroying mosquito breeding sites before the start of dengue epidemics and the failure of control measures in Malaysia. Dr Tharani also provides some clarity to questions regarding the safety of the dengue vaccine and the need for better, local evidence and proper evaluation on safety, efficacy, quality, affordability, value for money and others before implementation in Malaysia.

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