KETUA PENGARAH KESIHATAN MALAYSIA   DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HEALTH  MALAYSIA

Kementerian  Kesihatan Malaysia, Aras 12, Blok E7, Parcel E, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62590 Putrajaya Tel       :603-8883 2545 Faks    :603-8889 5542 E-mail :ismailmerican@moh.gov.my

STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HEALTH OF MALAYSIA
ON DENGUE FEVER CONTROL

Dengue is a public health priority for the Ministry of Health of Malaysia (MOH). Currently there is no specific treatment or a vaccine available for dengue fever and vector control remains the bedrock for controlling this disease. All available preventive and control measures will be utilized to the optimum.

The Ministry of Health of Malaysia has undertaken several activities to raise awareness of the disease and curb the spread of dengue among the public. Education on prevention of the disease, which includes the ‘10 minute a day’ campaign urging members of the public to set aside ten minutes a week to clean their houses and remove possible mosquito breeding areas around the house, were organized in a big way. Recently, MOH studied the feasibility of releasing genetically-modified male mosquitoes to contain the spread of Aedes.

From a clinical perspective, MOH has worked with both the public and private hospitals in the country to report on dengue cases with the aim of monitoring the spread of the disease. MOH has also worked tirelessly with various authorities from both the public and private sectors in ensuring that nationwide fogging is done in areas reported to have high aedes breeding activity.

The latest breakthrough in the series of activities conducted by MOH is the conduct of an unprecedented dengue vaccine research and development programme. In collaboration with vaccine world leader Sanofi Pasteur, the MOH Malaysia is leading the region in advancing the development of a novel vaccine for the prevention of dengue in children and adults.

MOH Malaysia is conducting a broad clinical study programme with the vaccine, looking into sero-prevalence, acute febrile episodes and dengue infection, safety, immunogenicity, and ultimately efficacy. Clinical trials for sero-prevalence, acute febrile episodes and dengue infection have already started since the middle of this year involving 300

volunteers. Trials studying other aspects will start in December and end in mid 2011. The states involved are Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Sarawak. If these studies are successful, we hope the vaccine can be made available to the Malaysian people in the next few years.

A dengue vaccine is the ultimate next step in the prevention of dengue fever. With the availability of this vaccine in the future, if results of the trials are positive, the MOH will be committed to start preparations to control this disease in Malaysia in the future.

(TAN SRI DATO’ SERI DR. HAJI MOHD ISMAIL MERICAN)
Director General of Health, Malaysia