Seventh Singapore International Dengue Workshop

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Dengue has become endemic in over 100 countries across the WHO Regions of Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific. The regions most severely impacted by the disease are the Americas, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific, with Asia accounting for approximately 70% of the total global disease burden.

In effort to combat dengue, WHO supports countries through its collaborating network of centres and laboratories and provides technical and financial support and guidance for the effective management of dengue.

WHO jointly organized the 7th Singapore International Dengue Workshop with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, and the National Environment Agency (NEA) in May 2023. The workshop was attended by 60 participants across WHO regions of Western Pacific, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Africa. 

Over the course of 9 days, participants across 23 countries shared their experiences on the common threat of dengue and other arboviral diseases. The participants include entomologists, virologists, vector control managers, clinicians, public health practitioners and policymakers to encourage collaboration between different sectors.

To enhance dengue management strategies, collaboration among diverse disciplines fosters a synergistic and comprehensive approach, which can lead to better prevention, surveillance, and control measures, ultimately reducing the burden of dengue on affected communities.

The importance of collaboration was further emphasized by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment during his opening remarks. “We must continue with these collaborations and exchanges so that these nascent tools are made more robust and cost-effective.” He also added the need for innovation to tackle the growing threat of vector-borne diseases.

The multi-disciplinary workshop equipped participants with the skills and knowledge of laboratory surveillance, clinical management, field surveillance and control. 

“Everyone needs to contribute to the global fight against arboviral diseases,” said Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. “This continued collaboration and commitment towards dengue management will facilitate the strengthening of resilience to dengue and ultimately keep our communities safe from other arboviral diseases as well.”