Manila: Health experts on Thursday called for a more aggressive approach to dengue prevention, noting that the Philippines continues to battle significant case surges.
According to Philippines News Agency, members of the Empowering Networks to Defeat (END) Dengue Coalition and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) emphasized that the country must evolve its strategies to keep pace with global standards. The END and PHAP noted that the Philippines' neighbors in the Southeast Asia region have already integrated new medical innovations into their public health toolkits.
"Dengue remains a recurring public health threat, intensified by urbanization and climate change," Philippine Medical Association president and END Dengue Coalition member Hector Santos said. "Prevention strategies must continue to be strengthened and evolve alongside new innovations that become available globally."
The call for stronger action came after Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam granted regulatory authorization for dengue vaccines. In the Philippines, such vaccines remain under regulatory evaluation. Santos explained that while the review must be "thorough and science-based" to ensure public confidence, ensuring access to these tools is critical given the disease's high toll on the population.
He noted that the scale of the threat was highlighted by recent data showing more than 123,000 dengue cases were reported nationwide in the first half of 2025 alone. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has also recorded PHP3.9 billion in dengue-related claims in the previous year, reflecting a massive drain on national health resources.
Meanwhile, PHAP executive director Teodoro Padilla argued that vaccination is a key pillar of life-course protection that the country cannot afford to overlook. "Immunization remains among the most cost-effective public health interventions," he said. "We advocate for life-course protection by supporting access to vaccines that have been approved and are in use in other countries."
While pushing for new tools, the experts expressed full support for the Department of Health's existing initiatives, which remain vital to reaching the World Health Organization's target of zero dengue deaths by 2030. The public is urged to maintain vigilance through environmental sanitation, specifically by eliminating mosquito breeding sites, and seeking timely medical consultation upon the onset of symptoms.
"Sustained collaboration -- from households and communities to the public and private sectors -- remains essential to strengthening prevention and protecting Filipinos from dengue," Santos said.
