Govt to expand Wolbachia programme after surge in dengue cases

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry is discussing where it wants to release the Wolbachia mosquitoes.

PUTRAJAYA: The government will expand a programme that uses a species of mosquitoes to combat dengue in 10 locations following the 86% surge in cases last year, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

Dzulkefly said the release of the Wolbachia mosquitoes will cost RM4 million annually.

However, the ministry has yet to identify the locations, which are being discussed, he said.

The initiative was first implemented in 2019 in 32 localities, with 19 areas showing a significant decrease in the number of dengue cases.

“Based on our assessment, there has been a reduction of cases of between 45% and 100% (in these localities),” he said at a press conference following a meeting of the Cabinet committee on dengue management today.

Some 2,715 dengue cases were recorded in the last week of 2023.

In 2023, there were 100 deaths due to complications from dengue fever, compared with 56 during the same period in 2022, he said.

Dzulkefly said the committee urged local councils to adopt the Wolbachia initiative to reduce the ability of Aedes mosquitoes to transmit the infection.

He said the committee has also decided to strengthen resources through working with government agencies, NGOs and government-linked companies, including a task force with GLCs, but he did not provide further details.

The Cabinet committee on dengue control held its first meeting of the year today, aimed at bringing dengue prevention and control under one strategic umbrella.

Dzulkefly said the committee will outsource dengue control and prevention measures such as spraying and using larvicide, while scheduling gotong-royong projects in ministries, departments and agencies through a fixed agenda item for district and state development action committees.

He also said large-scale campaigns and gotong-royong projects involving government agencies, NGOs, local leaders and the community will be carried out in 2024.

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