Sanofi's vaccine discovery is a best illustration of a good PPP model
Singapore: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said that an estimated 2.5 billion people are at risk of dengue globally, of whom 1.8 billion people live in Asian countries. The ASEAN authorities stressed that dengue has become a serious concern and that the united contribution of public-private partnerships (PPPs) would be instrumental in containing the disease.
Dr Ferdinal Fernando, assistant director and head of the Health and Communicable Diseases Division of the ASEAN Secretariat said that Asia represented 75 percent of the global dengue burden and Sanofi's support for the ASEAN dengue day disclosing its vaccine discovery was the best illustration of a PPP. He said that the ASEAN Dengue Day, held every year on June 15 was a very good platform for exchange of information to promote awareness and prevention of the disease.
An annual advocacy campaign day for dengue prevention and control was initiated recognizing the immense social and economic impact of dengue. This year's dengue campaign involved various public awareness events as authorities were of the opinion that basic precautionary measures would be instrumental in containing the disease to a large extent.
WHO mentioned dengue as a threat to half of the world's population with an estimated 100 million people being affected worldwide. Timely access to appropriate health care is critical to reduce the risk of mortality in cases of severe dengue. The WHO targets to reduce dengue mortality by 50 percent and reduce morbidity by 25 percent by 2020.
