Management of Dengue Epidemic
Dengue is a common health problem in tropical and subtropical countries. It mostly affects Asian and Latin American countries. Dengue fever virus is responsible for this disease. Female Aedes mosquito acts as a transmitter and humans are the primary victims of this disease.
Management of Dengue Epidemic: An Overview
Dengue is a common health problem in tropical and subtropical countries. It mostly affects Asian and Latin American countries. Dengue fever virus is responsible for this disease. Female Aedes mosquito acts as a transmitter and humans are the primary victims of this disease. Symptoms of dengue include: high fever, headache eye/skin irritations and nausea, fatigue and joint pains. Climatic factors influence the incidence of dengue. It occurs mostly in the rainy seasons. People with a weakened immune system will be the main victims. Epidemics of dengue finally result in health issues and economic losses [1].
The uncontrolled dengue epidemic that results in higher mortality needs to be uprooted at the earliest. The efforts in this direction should be at the macro level and significant enough to reduce the morbidity. Crucial measures and initiatives need to be taken on the following levels to control the rapidly growing catastrophe [2].
Government Body
Coordination
The most coordinated efforts on the part of government machinery and autonomous bodies to control and prevent the spread of larvae need to be taken. The government should form various action committees and enacting action plan for control of this disease. Functioning synergistically with proper coordination among the various levels of government machinery in uprooting the menace will be fruitful.
Awareness
It is good, if the government creates awareness campaigns and social action programs to sensitize about the causes, harmful effects and prevention of the disease as a part of health education. Such programs can be conducted in urban and rural areas in education institutes, work places and community health centers.
Environmental Sanitation
As a part of environmental sanitation, government should launch Pest Management Program (PMP) so that the potential breeding grounds for the mosquito spreading the dengue virus can be removed. Chemical and biological control measures including fogging accompanied by fumigation need to be done to control the spread of dengue larva.
Well Equipped Medical Facilities and Trained Health Workers in the Hospitals
The health workers should be well trained on handling the crisis of dengue. It is vital that the health workers should have efficient knowledge about standardized treatment and procedures ensuring early diagnosis and treatment of complications. The diagnosis of the disease should be done in the hospitals on national and sub- national levels. All the hospitals need to be well equipped with sufficient beds, early warning system, diagnostic test, facilities including blood banks and enough medicines in stockpile.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Program
Continuous monitoring of programs is vital for effective implementation and attainment of goal. The
proper estimation of spread and burden of disease over the period of time needs to be evaluated. It should include monitoring and assessment of dengue cases. Evaluation must include effective control measures. Monitoring the surveillance programs and continuous assessment of behavior of people towards reducing dengue epidemic is practiced or not as per the health education guidelines.
Community
Mobilizing Local Communities
As a part of management and preventive strategies, it is recommended that local communities should be mobilized and activating local leadership with participation of government and non-government organizations.
Environmental Management
Environmental management includes cleaning of environment and sources where mosquitoes can lay their eggs such as cleaning blocked drains, emptying the containers with standing water and buckets etc. in addition to other surrounding areas that mediate habitats for the mosquitoes.
Personal Actions to Reduce Contact with Mosquitoes
The researchers at the Center for Disease Control recommend people to handle mosquito repellents, sleeping under mosquito net, keeping doors and windows closed, wearing long pants and long shirts.
Shivani L and Sivakumar JTG. Management of Dengue Epidemic: An Overview. Vaccines Vacccin 2019, 4(1): 000132.
Subsidizing the Treatment Methods for Poor People
Subsidizing the treatment and preventive cost is effective in controlling this menace. Poor people face main problem in acquiring preventive facilities and medicines [3, 4].
In brief, supportive care is essential for dengue as that of other microbial infections. In addition, in all seasons, people are recommended to have food rich in vitamins to fight against infectious diseases and toxins.
References
-
WHO (2012) Global strategy for dengue prevention and control, 2012-2020. World Health Organization, pp: 1-34.
-
Zahir A, Ullah A, Shah M, Mussawar A (2016) Community Participation, Dengue Fever Prevention and Control Practices in Swat, Pakistan. International journal of MCH and AIDS 5(1): 39-45.
-
Gowder S (2016) Zika Virus - Vaccines and Management. International Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination.
-
Gowder SJ (2013) Nephrotoxicity of bisphenol A (BPA)-an updated review. Current Molecular Pharmacology 6(3): 163-172.
- Update on Malariology and Malaria Vaccines
- Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in the Age of Measles Resurgence: A Mini-Review
- Exploring Barriers and Facilitators of Group Antenatal Care Implementation in Kaduna State, Nigeria: A Qualitative Evaluation
- The Role of IL-11 in Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering
- New Prediction of Mortality rate of Covid -19 According to WHO Estimation
- Measles Vaccine in Kano, Northern Nigeria: Past, Present and Future