DBD cases are still high, vaccination is considered to strengthen protection

Illustration of DBD vaccine. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Dengue fever (DBD) is still one of the diseases that are most watched in Indonesia. No longer just appearing during the rainy season, the spread of the dengue virus can now occur throughout the year as weather patterns change and the high population of mosquitoes that carry the virus.

Therefore, prevention efforts are not enough to rely on fumigation or maintaining environmental cleanliness, but also need to be accompanied by health education and additional protection such as vaccination.

Data from the Ministry of Health shows that dengue cases in the last two decades have increased significantly. In fact, the cycle of the case surge is now happening faster than before. The impact is not only felt by patients and families, but also burdens the national health system.

In the momentum of the 2026 World Immunization Week, efforts to increase public awareness of DBD prevention are again echoed through various digital health education and medical consultation services that are easier for the public to access.

President Director of PT Takeda Innovative Medicines, Andreas Gutknecht, said dengue is a serious disease that until now has no specific medicine to cure the infection.

"Dengue is a disease that can develop into a serious and life-threatening condition. Until now, there is no specific medicine to cure it, so the treatment is more focused on managing symptoms. Therefore, prevention is very important," he said in a press statement to VOI, Thursday, May 7.

He also assessed that public education on dengue needs to continue to be expanded so that the community understands more about the risk of the disease and the available protection measures.

Meanwhile, Halodoc CEO and Co-founder Jonathan Sudharta assessed access to accurate health information to be an important part of prevention efforts.

"Given the burden of this disease, accurate medical education and expansion of access to protection for the community are very important," he said.

According to Jonathan, the increase in public awareness of dengue prevention can also be seen from the increasing access to dengue vaccination services in recent times.

Attention to DBD itself is increasingly important because this disease can quickly develop into a serious condition, especially in children. Chairman of the Child Immunization Task Force of the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI), Prof. Dr. Hartono Gunardi, Sp.A, Subsp.T.K.P.S(K), explained that the initial symptoms of DBD often look like common diseases.

"A child with early symptoms of DBD such as sudden high fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, to nausea or vomiting, can sometimes experience rapid deterioration such as severe bleeding and shock," he explained.

He added that the group of children is one of the most vulnerable to serious complications due to dengue. Therefore, prevention needs to be carried out thoroughly, starting from the 3M Plus movement to considering immunization as an additional protection.

"In practice, health workers can help the public understand the various prevention options available, including immunization," said Prof. Hartono.

The same was conveyed by the Chairman of the PAPDI Adult Immunization Task Force, Dr. Sukamto Koesnoe, SpPD, K-AI, FINASIM. According to him, DBD can also have serious impacts on the adult age group, especially the productive age and those with comorbidities.

"Not a few adult patients have to undergo hospitalization due to dengue, which ultimately interferes with daily activities, work, and family productivity," said Dr. Sukamto.

He reminded that prevention should be part of people's daily habits, especially in the midst of weather changes that make the risk of dengue spread higher.

In addition to keeping the environment clean and reducing mosquito breeding grounds, the public is also urged to be more active in seeking appropriate medical information and consulting with health workers regarding protection measures that are appropriate for their respective conditions.