WHO unveils strategic plan to combat dengue and arboviruses

SWITZERLAND—The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness, and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses, including Zika and Chikungunya.

This strategy seeks to reduce the burden of sickness, misery, and mortality caused by these viruses by promoting a global coordinated response.

It identifies priority activities for preventing transmission and makes suggestions to afflicted countries in a variety of areas, including disease monitoring, laboratory work, vector control, community engagement, clinical management, and research.

WHO’s strategy highlights the value of partnership at all societal levels and areas.

Currently, an estimated four billion people globally are at risk of arbovirus infection, with the number anticipated to climb to five billion by 2050, with cases of dengue in particular increasing across all six WHO regions.

Since 2021, the number of instances has typically quadrupled each year, with over 12.3 million reported by the end of August 2024, nearly doubling the 6.5 million recorded in all of 2023.

 Dengue is most common in tropical and subtropical regions, including Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Americas.

Africa is in a similar predicament, with countries dealing with many diseases, conflict, and natural catastrophes, all of which put further strain on already frail health systems.

In December 2023, WHO declared the worldwide dengue outbreak a grade 3 emergency, the highest degree of alert, to help countries improve their surveillance capacities and prepare response plans.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, remarked on the plan, stating that the fast spread of dengue and other arboviral infections in recent years is a concerning trend that necessitates cross-sector and border coordination.

He emphasised the need of everyone playing a role in dengue prevention, from keeping the environment clean to supporting vector control and seeking medical attention when necessary.

Dr. Ghebreyesus went on to say that the SPRP serves as a road map for turning the tide on dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses, protecting vulnerable populations, and working towards a healthy future.

Several factors contribute to dengue’s rapid geographical spread, including unplanned urbanisation, poor water, sanitation, and hygiene practices, climate change, and increased international travel. The disease is now endemic in over 130 countries.

Similar trends have been seen with other arboviral diseases, including Zika, Chikungunya, and, more recently, Oropouche virus, especially in the Americas.

This worldwide escalation highlights the urgent need for a strong plan to reduce hazards and safeguard communities.

The SPRP is organised around five critical components required for a successful epidemic response.

These include emergency coordination, which entails establishing leadership and coordination efforts, and collaborative surveillance, which focusses on developing instruments for early detection and response to outbreaks.

This surveillance consists of enhanced indicator- and event-based monitoring, epidemiological analysis, laboratory diagnoses, and field investigations.

 Additionally, community engagement is prioritised through communication and localised prevention and response methods, such as mosquito population management.

The plan also emphasises the necessity of providing safe and scalable treatment by improving clinical management and strengthening health systems to prevent disease and death.

 In addition, the SPRP increases access to countermeasures by supporting research and innovation to improve treatments and create effective vaccinations.

WHO estimates that US$55 million will be required to implement this plan over a one-year period ending in September 2025.

The SPRP is consistent with the Global Vector Control Response 2017-2030, a global strategy to increase vector control, and the Global Arbovirus Initiative, which was started in 2022 to address mosquito-borne arboviruses with epidemic potential. 

The SPRP encourages governments, healthcare providers, communities, and individuals to work together to combat dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses through innovation, new technology, and enhanced vector management strategies.

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