PRNewswire
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 12: With dengue cases continuing to rise across Asia due to factors such as changing climate conditions, increased urbanization, and population growth, a new regional collaboration has been launched to contribute to ongoing efforts in addressing this growing public health threat. In conjunction with ASEAN Dengue Day, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Asia Pacific and Takeda today unveiled "United Against Dengue" (UAD), a multi-year regional collaboration aimed at strengthening dengue prevention and management across the region. The collaboration aims to enhance community resilience, promote policy advocacy and support. Led by The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Takeda, the regional collaboration is dedicated to supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) and ASEAN goal of eliminating preventable dengue deaths by 2030.
"Through UAD, we aim to empower communities across Asia and beyond to take charge of their health and unite against dengue. Our focus is clear - to educate communities, advocate for sustainable dengue prevention measures, and support affected individuals and communities with care and assistance. The collaboration with Takeda reinforces WHO and ASEAN Member States' commitment to combating dengue through sustainable solutions, improving access to preventive health services, education, and healthcare support to reduce its impact on communities," said Juja Kim, Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific, IFRC.
"Joining forces with IFRC, we aim to strengthen the foundation of community resilience by advancing disease literacy, enhancing early action capabilities, and empowering local health systems. UAD is designed to strengthen and complement existing public and community efforts to combat dengue collectively and ensure that communities are better equipped to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to dengue outbreaks," said Dion Warren, Area Head of India & Southeast Asia (I-SEA), Takeda. "By collaborating across sectors, including governments, NGOs, medical societies and communities, and leveraging our collective strengths and resources, we can tackle dengue's complex challenges more effectively and achieve greater impact, together. This collaboration is a call to action, underscoring the urgent need for unified, multi-sectoral action."
Strategic focus on Education, Advocacy and Support
The collaboration is structured around three strategic pillars: Educate, Advocate, and Support.
1. Educate: Build community resilience and readiness through impactful disease education and early preparedness. Efforts include community awareness campaigns, volunteer training using the Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV) toolkit, and hygiene promotion through community engagement. Enhanced surveillance systems and early action protocols will also be introduced to guide community responses and improve outcomes.
2. Advocate: Ensure the sustainability of preventative measures through policy work and stakeholder engagement. This includes working closely with policymakers, medical societies, and community organizations to support the integration of dengue prevention, management and control into national strategies. Regional and national alignment across public health stakeholders is also prioritized to drive unified action and strengthen health system resilience for long-term impact.
3. Support: Provide care and assistance to communities and individuals affected by dengue.
These efforts represent the initial focus of UAD and are not exhaustive. Additional efforts will be introduced as UAD continues to respond to evolving community needs and opportunities for greater impact.
Kickstarting educational efforts is a partnership with popular comic platform, The Woke Salaryman for the initiative's first regional dengue educational content, a comic that will be translated to multiple languages. Leveraging their unique brand of storytelling, the series brings to light the impact of urbanization on community ties in Asia and beyond. The series not only raises awareness about dengue but also underscores the critical role of community collaboration in disease prevention efforts.
Initially released in English, the comic series will be translated into Bahasa Melayu, with additional translations planned for languages beyond the region, including Spanish and French, which will be shared through IFRC's platforms. This strategic initiative aims to broaden the reach and deepen the impact of the UAD campaign, making crucial information accessible to diverse audiences across the region.
The burden of dengue continues to rise
Driven by climate change and rapid urbanization, dengue has become endemic in over 100 countries, with Asia shouldering approximately 70% of the global disease burden.[i] Thus far, in 2025, the Malaysian Ministry of Health's IDENGUE dashboard recorded 14,310 cases with 16 people (as of 24 March 2025) losing their lives from the disease. While current efforts are valuable, a more integrated approach is crucial to achieving the goal of zero preventable dengue deaths by 2030.[ii]
"Everyone has a role to play in the fight against dengue. UAD exemplifies the power of collaboration and community engagement in tackling this significant public health challenge. The WHO commends this creative approach to reaching and educating communities across the region. Together, we believe we can make zero preventable deaths by 2030 in Southeast Asia and beyond possible," said Dr Deepa Gamage, Public Health Specialist, Disease Control, WHO Representative Office for Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.
"Dengue continues to pose a significant public health threat across Asia and beyond, requiring coordinated, multi-sectoral action at both regional and national levels," said Prof. Datuk Dr. Zulkifli Ismail, Chairman of Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA) and Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysiaand Chairman of Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia (DPAM). "Cross-sector collaboration will continue to be crucial for driving progress and protecting vulnerable populations from dengue. UAD collaboration reflects a clear intent to catalyse collaborative efforts to drive progress in dengue prevention and management."
Complementing existing public health efforts
Aimed to enhance dengue awareness and bolster protection efforts, the UAD collaboration empowers communities to combat dengue through a multi-pronged approach: disease education, early action protocols, targeted public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and support for affected individuals and communities.
The initiative will be rolled out across Asia and beyond. Additional regional and local programs will be launched to further drive collective action, enhance dengue awareness, and support dengue prevention efforts.
More information about the UAD collaboration can be found here: https://www.ifrc.org/article/ifrc-and-takeda-initiate-united-against-dengue-alliance-combat-escalating-threat-mosquito
About United Against Dengue (UAD)
The UAD collaboration is led by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) APAC and Takeda with a focus on protecting communities from the escalating threat of dengue fever through strengthening community resilience and working toward sustainable, long-term solutions. The collaboration leverages IFRC's community reach and Takeda's healthcare expertise to empower communities in Asia and beyond with the necessary knowledge and resources to strengthen dengue education and prevention. Structured around three strategic pillars: Educate, Advocate, and Support, UAD strengthens community resilience by educating on disease prevention, advocating for sustainable policies, and supporting afflicted patients and communities. For more information about the UAD collaboration, please visit https://www.ifrc.org/article/ifrc-and-takeda-initiate-united-against-dengue-alliance-combat-escalating-threat-mosquito
Media contact:
For inquiries, please contact the United Against Dengue Secretariat at unitedagainstdengue@gcihealth.com
[i] World Health Organization. Dengue and severe dengue. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed: June 2025
[ii] World Health Organization, Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, 2021. Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/332094/WHO-UCN-NTD-2020.01-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Accessed: March 2025.
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