The World Dengue Day is a movement that aims to have our voices heard at the 74th UN General Assembly with an Open Letter petitioning for a designated World Dengue Day.

To date, regional dengue days have been created in some endemic regions, but a World Dengue Day supported by the UN is needed.  It will serve as an excellent mechanism for global disease awareness, encourage key stakeholders (industry, governmental bodies, healthcare professionals, NGOs and charities etc.) to take action towards needed for eradication, help identify best practices and foster solution co-creation in the ecosystem.

To help achieve this ambitious plan, we have started working with representatives from various G77 countries, and mainly with Ecuador, an endemic country which has launched many innovative dengue initiatives. It’s a lengthy process, but we hope the benefits will be obvious for decision-makers and they will agree to support this initiative.  

Expected Outcomes

1. Contribute to reaching the 2030 SDG goal to “end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases”.
2. Contribute to WHO’s goals of reducing mortality and morbidity from dengue by 2020 by at least 50% and 25% respectively (using 2010 as the baseline).
3. Have dengue recognised as a priority health topic by public health authorities and world leaders.
4. Mobilise stakeholders to take collective action to support the fight against dengue in their communities or at the regional/global level.

Main Objectives

1. Mobilize resources and stakeholders to highlight and encourage innovative and effective strategies for prevention, control, and eradication of dengue.
2. Improve international cooperation and mobilize political support for better leadership and public health policies focused on dengue eradication.
3. Capacity building for primary healthcare centres, as well as fast-tracked R&D for effective solutions along the care pathway (from prevention to diagnostic and treatment).
4. Encourage the Member States to put in place or improve effective epidemiological surveillance systems, taking inspiration from current models already in place, thus controlling outbreak propagation and increasing intervention efficiency and response times.
5. Understand the landscape, its initiatives, key players, organizations or people and lay the foundation of an efficient ecosystem, including sharing best practices and building on them.