Dengue cases are surging across Asia, driven by climate change and rapid urbanization. A new collaboration, United Against Dengue, led by IFRC and Takeda, aims to boost disease education, policy advocacy, and community support to reduce preventable deaths by 2030.
WORDS LIM TECK CHOON
Dengue cases are climbing across Asia due to climate change, urbanisation, and population growth. In response, a new regional collaboration has been launched to step up the fight.
On 11 June 2025, United Against Dengue (UAD) — led by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Asia Pacific and healthcare company Takeda — was launched ahead of ASEAN Dengue Day, which falls on June 15.
This multi-year effort aims to strengthen dengue prevention, improve disease awareness, and support affected communities.
WHY UNITY MATTERS
Asia accounts for 70% of global dengue cases.
- In Malaysia alone, over 14,000 cases and 16 deaths were reported in the first quarter of 2025.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and ASEAN are aiming for zero preventable dengue deaths by 2030 and UAD wants to help make that happen.
WHAT THE COLLABORATION FOCUSES ON
The initiative is built around three key pillars.
Educate
- Raise awareness through community campaigns, volunteer training, and early preparedness programmes.
- This includes disease education using the Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV) toolkit and hygiene promotion.
Advocate
- Work with governments, health agencies, and community organizations to integrate dengue prevention into national health strategies.
- The goal is long-term, sustainable solutions and better regional coordination.
Support
- Provide care and assistance for dengue patients and affected communities.
- Expanding services based on local needs.
PARTNERSHIP WITH COMIC PLATFORM
To help spread the word, UAD is partnering with The Woke Salaryman, a popular online comic platform. Together, they will launch a multilingual comic series highlighting dengue risks and the importance of community cooperation.
The comics will be translated into Bahasa Melayu, Spanish, French, and other languages, extending the campaign’s reach beyond Asia.
A CALL FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION
“Everyone has a role to play in the fight against dengue. UAD exemplifies the power of collaboration and community engagement in tackling this significant public health challenge. The WHO commends this creative approach to reaching and educating communities across the region,” said Dr Deepa Gamage, a public health specialist from the WHO Representative Office for Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.
She added: “Together, we believe we can make zero preventable deaths by 2030 in Southeast Asia and beyond possible.”
DENGUE IS STILL A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT
“Dengue continues to pose a significant public health threat across Asia and beyond, requiring coordinated, multi-sectoral action at both regional and national levels,” said Professor Datuk Dr. Zulkifli Ismail, Chairman of Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA) and Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia and Chairman of Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia (DPAM).
He further said, “Cross-sector collaboration will continue to be crucial for driving progress and protecting vulnerable populations from dengue. UAD collaboration reflects a clear intent to catalyze collaborative efforts to drive progress in dengue prevention and management.”
| Learn more about United Against Dengue here (link opens in a new tab). |
| This article is part of our series on health-related campaigns and milestone events of note in Malaysia. |
