Regional Public Goods for Health: Combating Dengue in ASEAN

Region: East Asia and Pacific
Country: Cambodia, Laos, Philippines
Client: Asian Development Bank
Date: 2009-2011

This project aimed to develop and demonstrate the application of effective, sustainable strategies for community-based dengue vector control. The primary objective was the reduction of Aedes mosquitoes breeding in household containers.

The project targeted more than 6,000 households across Lao PDR and Cambodia placing guppies in their water jars and tanks. This practical intervention resulted in a significant decline in the intervention sites in the expected level of Aedes Ageypti larvae the main vector for the transmission of dengue. At the 12 month point (wet season) households in intervention sites had an estimated 2% of target water containers containing larvae. Whereas, an estimated 24% of the target water containers in the control sites had larvae.

Working alongside the WHO country offices, HLSP reviewed evidence of what works and what does not work, and designed and selected regional pilot sites. It also delivered a costed evaluation to assist policymakers in deciding how to roll out the interventions, witha strong focus on promoting community involvement. Lao now plans to have guppies as an integral part of our dengue integrated vector control strategy

Technical area:

• TB, malaria and other communicable diseases