Preventing DHF Is Not Enough With 3M Plus, It's Time For People To Understand The Importance Of Vaccination

Press conference for the prevention of dengue fever in Jakarta, Wednesday 23 April 2025 (Dinno/VOI)

JAKARTA - 3M Plus measures such as draining, closing, and recycling water containers are still an important foundation in preventing the spread of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF).

However, amid the high number of cases and the complexity of transmission of this disease, this approach is no longer sufficient. People need to be provided with a thorough understanding, including the importance of vaccination as an innovative way that is now available to provide further protection against this potentially deadly disease.

According to the latest data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health as of April 13, 2025, there were 38,740 dengue cases with a death rate of 182 cases (CFR: 0.47 percent), spread across 447 districts/cities throughout the province.

Despite the decline compared to the previous year, the government remains vigilant by issuing Circular No. HK.02.02/C/466/2025 to remind all health levels of potential spike in cases, especially at the beginning of the year.

Given that Indonesia is a hyper-endemic country, the risk of dengue transmission lasts throughout the year and requires ongoing preventive measures.

"We all have to be aware that factors such as climate change and population density play a major role in the spread of dengue. Therefore, cross-sectoral synergies are needed to address this problem as a whole," said Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, in a media briefing Alert on DHF: Protect Family, Save the Future, The Indonesian Ministry of Health together with PT Takeda Innovative Medicines in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

He also emphasized the urgency of comprehensive education and prevention. This event is part of the continuation of the CegahDBD campaign which has started since 2023.

"DHF remains a serious challenge even though it has been more than 50 years since this disease first became a global concern. He highlighted that cases and deaths due to dengue fever in 2024 have almost doubled compared to the previous year," he added.

One thing that needs to be understood by the wider community is that dengue is not a seasonal disease, but a health threat throughout the year. The main challenge is to change people's perceptions that are still taking this disease lightly.

Internal Medicine Specialist, dr. Dirga Sakti Rambe added, there are still many who mistakenly consider dengue as an ordinary fever. In fact, dengue infection can develop quickly into an emergency condition such as dengue shock syndrome.

Based on the 2021-2025 National Dengue Management Strategy, it was also developed as a comprehensive guide to strengthen collaboration in prevention, for example with additional vaccinations.

"Vaccination provides additional protection that is urgently needed amidst the absence of a special drug for dengue," said doctor Dirga.

On the same occasion, Andreas Gukknecht, President Director of PT Takeda Innovative Medicines, revealed that the results of cross-border surveys show that the level of public understanding of dengue is still relatively low.

Although the Indonesian people are relatively active in controlling vectors independently, there is still a tendency for preventive measures to only be carried out during the rainy season or when cases soar. This confirms the need for sustainable education and is easily accessible to all levels of society.

The #Ayo3MPlusVaksinDBD Campaign is a form of collaboration between PT Takeda Innovative Medicines and the Ministry of Health to promote more comprehensive dengue prevention. Through education, consistent 3M Plus practices, as well as the use of vaccinations, people are invited to move together to achieve the Zero Death target due to dengue by 2030.