RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Health has reinforced its collaboration with the Coalition Against Dengue (KOBAR) and regional partners through the first Southeast Asia Regional Forum on Dengue Prevention and Control, aiming to achieve zero dengue-related deaths by 2030.

Head of the Ministry's Health Development Policy Agency, Asnawi Abdullah, emphasized that dengue is a cross-border challenge. “Dengue does not recognize national boundaries. It is driven by similar climates, high mobility, and rapid urbanization,” he said in Jakarta on Monday, February 9, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

“These factors require not only national responses but also collective leadership, policy alignment, and sustained cooperation at the regional level,” he added.

Indonesia faced significant challenges in 2024, including climate change, storms, and the El Nino phenomenon, which pushed dengue cases to the highest level in national history of around 92 cases per 100,000 people. Asnawi described this surge as a test of the resilience of the public health system.

“But in 2025 we saw a significant decline, with incidence dropping to 57 cases per 100,000 people. This success was not accidental; it was the direct result of shifting to proactive, climate-adaptive strategies,” he explained.

He noted that the reduction was also supported by expanded access to technology and vaccines. “We all agree that we cannot control the weather, but we can protect our communities through smart and innovative action,” he said.

Community-based initiatives such as the Jumantik Program (Mosquito Larvae Monitoring Volunteers) and strengthened health facilities have also contributed to national dengue control efforts. 

“By keeping the fatality rate below 0.5 percent, as targeted nationally, Indonesia is truly advancing toward our goal of zero dengue deaths by 2030,” Asnawi stated.

Despite progress, he acknowledged that dengue remains a serious problem across Asia, with Southeast Asia serving as the global epicenter. “We are entering a new era of innovation. From Wolbachia mosquito development to advanced early warning systems, our capacity to fight dengue has never been stronger,” he said.

Asnawi expressed hope that the forum would generate science- and evidence-based policies to help shape a future where Southeast Asia is free from dengue-related deaths. ***