Top Dengue-Related Highlights from the Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia Launch

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON

ABOUT THE DENGUE PREVENTION ADVOCACY MALAYSIA (DPAM) GROUP
  • DPAM is an independent advocacy group co-jointly led by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA), the Malaysian Society of Infection Control and Infectious Disease (MyICID), the Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy (MSIDC), and the Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association (PPPKAM).
  • DPAM collaborates with the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (MSPTM), the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health Kuala Lumpur (APACPH-KL) and Rotary International District 3300.
  • DPAM is established to support the efforts of the Ministry of Health in strengthening dengue prevention, management, and control in Malaysia.
WHY DPAM IS NECESSARY: A POTENTIAL EMERGING DENGUE EMERGENCY
FEATURED EXPERT
DR HUSNINA IBRAHIM
Deputy Director of Disease Control Division (Communicable Diseases)
Ministry of Health Malaysia
  • Malaysia had its worst dengue outbreak in 2019, over 130,000 cases and 182 deaths.
  • The numbers declined during the MCO a few years ago. During this new normal, however, dengue numbers are once again on the rise.
  • From January to epidemiology week-22 this year, there has been a 158% rise in dengue cases and 183% increase in the deaths compared with the same period last year.

Dr Husnina Ibrahim, the Deputy Director of Disease Control Division (Communicable Diseases), said: “As Malaysia typically experiences a surge in dengue cases every 4 to 5 years, it was projected that an outbreak is due around this or next year, with an estimated number of cases potentially surpassing the historic 2019 outbreak.”

RECENT ADVANCES YIELD POSITIVE RESULTS IN THE PREVENTION & CONTROL OF DENGUE
Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes
  • The introduction of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes has significantly reduced dengue cases in 16 out of 19 localities, by 33% to 100%.
  • Wolbachia is a type of bacteria that can infect many species of invertebrates—organism with no backbone—including mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that carries and spreads the dengue viruses.
  • Male Aedes aegypti infected with Wolbachia will mate with female mosquitoes, but the resulting eggs will not hatch.
  • This reduces the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Implementation of comprehensive guidelines, proper training, and a critical review of dengue mortality

These efforts have reduced the case-fatality rate by 87.3% from 2000 to 2022.

SETTING TARGETS FOR FUTURE DENGUE PREVENTION & CONTROL EFFORTS
  • The Ministry of Health has in place the National Dengue Prevention and Control Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which aims to annually reduce the number of dengue cases by 5% while maintaining the proportion of deaths compared to the number of cases (case fatality rate or CFR) below 0.2%.
  • The Ministry aims to reduce the CFR to 0% by 2030—which is to say, there should be no deaths due to dengue by that year.
DPAM TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO ACHIEVE THESE TARGETS
FEATURED EXPERT
PROFESSOR DATUK DR ZULKIFLI ISMAIL
Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Cardiologist
Chairman of the Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia (DPAM)

Professor Datuk Dr. Zulkifli Ismail expresses his optimism that the Ministry of Health’s aforementioned targets are achievable with the active involvement of key stakeholders such as the government, civil society, academia, private sector, media, and the community.

DPAM aims to synergize efforts by various of these stakeholders in assisting the Ministry of Health to achieve its national and global dengue targets through the strengthening of dengue prevention, management, and control in Malaysia.

He said, “DPAM will focus its efforts on healthcare professional and public education and communication, local research, guideline recommendations, as well as policy recommendations.”

To foster and strengthen regional collaborations, DPAM will work closely with the Asian Dengue Voice & Action (ADVA), a regional advocacy group. Their first collaborative initiative is the hosting of the 7th Asia Dengue Summit in Malaysia next year.

DPAM also released a Resolution Paper that contained key strategies for all relevant stakeholders to create a “whole of society” approach.

June is Growth Watch Month. Here’s What It Means for You & Your Kids

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON

On 15 June 2023, the IMFeD for Growth programme inaugurated June as Growth Watch Month.

Growth Watch Month was jointly launched by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA)—which also helmed the IMFeD for Growth programme—in partnership with the Malaysian Medical Association, the Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists’ Association, the Malaysian Association of Kindergartens, and the Malaysian Association of Registered Early Child Care and Development.

FEATURED EXPERT
PROFESSOR DR LEE WAY SEAH
Senior Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist
Chairman of IMFeD for Growth Programme
WHAT THE GROWTH WATCH MONTH MEANS TO PARENTS

According to Professor Dr Lee Way Seah, Chairman of the IMFeD for Growth programme:

  • Growth Watch Month is largely dedicated to identifying children and adolescents that are either stunted or at risk of stunting.
  • The IMFeD for Growth programme organizers will organize avenues and activities that will provide advice to parents of these children and adolescents, so that they can avail themselves to appropriate nutritional interventions and support that can get their children’s growth back on track.

Professor Lee stresses that optimal growth can only be achieved when certain fundamentals are present, namely:

  • Good feeding practices
  • Optimal nutrition
  • Adequate physical activity that are appropriate for age
  • Regular growth monitoring from young

Thus, he encourages parents of children between 1 and 17 years old to bring their children to an appropriate healthcare professional for growth check.

IS STUNTED GROWTH REALLY THAT A BIG DEAL?

The statistics from the 2022 National Health and Morbidity Survey indicates that there is a cause for concern.

  • 21.2% or 1 out of 5 children have stunted growth by the age of 5.
  • 6.8% of adolescents have stunted growth, falling behind 15 to 20% from their potential adult height.

Additionally, IMFeD for Growth reveals the key results of its screening campaigns from 2018 to 2021, which suggests that a considerable number of children between 1 to 5 years old are at risk of stunting or have stunted growth.

Click for a larger, clearer version. Image courtesy of IMFeD for Growth.

Professor Lee says that this stunting problem needs to be addressed before the number of children at risk of or are affected by stunted growth increases.

FEATURED EXPERT
DR SELVA KUMAR SIVAPUNNIAM
Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist
President of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA)
WHAT PARENTS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO IN GROWTH WATCH MONTH

Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam, the President of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) shares that the IMFeD for Growth programme will work with all relevant stakeholders to conduct educational activities geared at parents and their children.

Parents as well as other caregivers can look forward to media write-ups and interviews.

Parents Forums (June 25 onward)

From June 25 onward, IMFeD for Growth will host a series of Parents Forums, to be broadcast live over Zoom (click on the link to register), the MPA Facebook page, and their YouTube channel. All links open in new tabs.

Topics covered are:

  • Feeding, Nutrition and Growth for Tiny Tots (June 25)
  • Helping Children Shine in School
  • Nurturing Growth Through the Teenage Years
  • Parenting Tips for Healthy Children
Annual Screening Campaign (August to November 2023)

Dr Selva shares that the IMFeD For Growth Annual Screening Campaign happening from August to November 2023 in all IMFeD clinics.

Interested parents can click here to view the list of participating clinics in Malaysia (link opens in a new tab).

Minister of Health Officiates New Child Health, Safety, and Well-being Programme

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON

On September 15 2022, our Minister of Health YB Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin officiated the launch of Healthy Little Bloomers programme and the roll-out of its maiden campaign Junior Germ Busters. 

The Healthy Little Bloomers programme aims to promote child health, safety and well-being through a network more than 30,000 early childhood care and education centres nationwide, potentially benefiting more than 800,000 children.

This is an initiative led by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) in collaboration with 10 prominent early childhood care and education organisations from both private and government sectors. These organisations are Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS), ECCE Council, Malaysian Association of Professional Early Childhood Educators (MAPECE), Persatuan Tadika Malaysia (PTM), Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM), Persatuan Pengasuh Berdaftar Malaysia (PPBM), National Association of Special Education, Malaysia (PPKK), Majlis Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Malaysia (MKKM), Persatuan Tadika Sabah (PTS) and Association of Kindergarten Operators Sarawak (AKO).

In his speech during the launch, YB Tuan Khairy highlighted the following:
  • Young children, especially those under the age of 5, are vulnerable to health and safety threats, such as infectious diseases, injuries, abuse and neglect
  • Children who are overweight or obese are 5 times more likely to become overweight and obese adults
  • Child abuse survivors are at higher risk of becoming abusers or getting involved in abusive relationship during adulthood
  • Unmet emotional and mental health needs during childhood will lead to difficulties and problems during adolescence and adulthood
PROGRAMME IN STEP & LINE WITH MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT GOALS

YB Tuan Khairy is pleased with the launch of Healthy Little Bloomers because, as he puts it: “Children are the nation’s future. Therefore, addressing their health, safety and well-being needs holistically is one of the government’s key priorities. It has been part of the Malaysian government development goals since the 1960s and outlined in our latest Child Health 2021-2023 national framework”.

He applauds the campaign as an initiative that brings together MPA and partner organisations for bringing together medical professionals and early childhood care and education experts in a systematic and potentially long-term collaboration to help bring to fruition the goals of the government.

This is a vital programme as many young children spend most of their waking hours in kindergartens and children centres every week, abd studies have shown that health promotion intervention in kindergarten and childcare centres can be effective, especially if parental engagement is involved.

THE PROGRAMME IN MORE DETAIL

Professor Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail, Chairman of Healthy Little Bloomers, shares that the programme is meant to be cover all key domains and aspects of child health, safety and well-being in a holistic manner.

He further elaborates that the programme will take an annual thematic approach.

WHAT THE HEALTHY LITTLE BLOOMERS PROGRAMME OFFERS
  • Training for early childhood care and education operators and personnel
  • Fun, exciting, and interactive lessons for children; the programme is inclusive and will cater to children from various population segments, including those that are underprivileged and with special needs
  • Information and educational materials for parents and primary caregivers; available in Bahasa Malaysia and English
  • Roadshows to cater to less advantaged children, featuring activities that will consider the needs of those with hearing or vision impairments.

Visit healthylittlebloomers.my to get more information as well as free educational materials.