Thailand goes to war on dengue with free vaccine plan
Health minister unveils dengue strategy at ASEAN event
Thailand is waging war on dengue fever and it’s going all in to wipe out the deadly mosquito-borne disease for good.
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin unveiled a new national strategy yesterday, June 9, during the 2025 ASEAN Dengue Day event, themed ASEAN United: Zero Dengue Death, a Future We Build Together.
The goal? Zero dengue-related deaths in 2025.
“No one should die from dengue,” Somsak declared, as he outlined a multi-pronged approach focused on cutting transmission and improving outcomes through surveillance, early treatment, mosquito control, and public education. Technology will also be employed to enhance outbreak tracing and speed up response efforts.
Between January and June 4 this year, Thailand reported 13,079 dengue cases and 15 deaths, numbers the government says are unacceptably high.
In a landmark move, Thailand began a major vaccine clinical trial targeting children. The large-scale study, launched on April 4 in Nakhon Phanom province, involved 35,000 children aged seven to 10, regardless of previous dengue infection.
Approved by the National Communicable Disease Committee, the trial aims to assess the effectiveness of a new live-attenuated dengue vaccine developed by a Japanese pharmaceutical firm. It has already received clearance from Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dr Panumas Yanawetsakul, Director General of the Department of Disease Control, said the trial would span three years, after which the vaccine could be added to Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme.
“The testing should be completed in three years, after which the vaccine can be included in the country’s universal healthcare scheme.”
Dr Nakorn Premsri, Director of the National Vaccine Institute, echoed the cautious optimism, stressing that any addition to the national immunisation programme would depend on cost-effectiveness and approval by the immunisation subcommittee.
“But adding the vaccine to the universal healthcare scheme will take time.”
Currently, dengue vaccines in Thailand are costly and mostly available through private providers. A government-backed jab could change that, making protection affordable and accessible for millions, reported Bangkok Post.
Dengue fever is endemic in more than 100 countries and continues to pose a major public health threat in tropical regions. Thailand’s aggressive new plan marks a significant step toward eliminating deaths and lightening the disease’s burden on the healthcare system.
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