The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Department of Disease Control (DDC) are collaborating with businesses to raise public awareness about dengue fever, a disease becoming more common due to climate change expanding the range of mosquitoes that transmit it.
To commemorate Asean Dengue Day on June 15, the BMA and DDC, in partnership with Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co Ltd, Takeda (Thailand) Limited, and other corporate allies, organized an event titled “Dengue Heroes towards Zero Death.”
This event, held at the Airawat Pattana building at the City Hall complex in Din Daeng, aimed to support the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of zero dengue-related deaths by 2030.
Local residents were encouraged to take preventive measures to protect their communities from the disease, such as maintaining proper sanitation and drainage to prevent Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from breeding.
Participants were reminded of the importance of these measures, especially during the El Niño phenomenon, which often results in shorter but more intense rainstorms that create pools of clean, stagnant water ideal for mosquito breeding.
From January to May this year, nearly 30,000 cases of dengue fever were reported, with 29 deaths. The DDC predicts this number could rise to 280 by the end of the year.
Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, DDC director-general, emphasized the crucial role of public participation in breaking the dengue transmission cycle. “By becoming ‘dengue heroes’ in their communities, everyone can help,” he said.
At the event, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt highlighted the city’s efforts to combat the disease through active surveillance, eradication of breeding sites, and community engagement. “Our goal is to ensure everyone in the community is informed and vigilant,” he stated.
The event also received support from the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, Amata Plc, and CP ALL Plc.
