Experts Push for Dengue Vaccination Amid Climate Change and El Niño Threats
Health experts are pushing for strengthened dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) prevention efforts through vaccination for both children and adults. The move is considered crucial amid the increasing risk of disease spread due to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, which is predicted to continue until the end of 2026.
Chairman of the Adult Immunisation Task Force of the Indonesian Society of Internal Medicine (PAPDI), Sukamto Koesnoe, explained that rising global temperatures directly impact the behaviour of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. According to him, hotter temperatures cause the mosquito to bite more frequently.
"If at normal temperatures the mosquito bites every five days, at higher temperatures the frequency can become every two days. This significantly increases the risk of dengue transmission," Sukamto said in a statement on Friday (19/6/2026).
In addition to the biological factors of the mosquito, the dry conditions accompanying El Niño prompt people to store more water in containers. If not managed properly through the 3M Plus practices, these containers become ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Sukamto stressed that DHF is not only a threat to children. PAPDI data shows that more than half of dengue cases occur in adults, particularly those of productive age between 15 and 44 years. Infection in adults can trigger serious complications, especially for those with comorbidities.
"To date, dengue treatment remains supportive, so prevention through vaccination is the primary measure to reduce the risk of severe symptoms and hospitalisation," he added. The dengue vaccine has been included in PAPDI019s adult immunisation schedule recommendations since 2025.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Child Immunisation Task Force of the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI), Prof. Hartono Gunardi, reminded that children remain the most vulnerable group. Data shows nearly 48 percent of cases occur in children under 14 years, with the highest mortality rate in the 5 to 14 age range.
Hartono explained that the main challenge of the dengue virus is the existence of four different serotypes. A person who has been infected with one serotype is not automatically immune to the others.
"A person can still be reinfected by another serotype with a risk of much more severe symptoms. The progression of this disease can worsen very rapidly when the patient enters the critical phase," Hartono emphasised.
With climate challenges predicted to remain extreme until the end of 2026, synergy between DHF vaccination and environmental cleanliness is the main key to suppressing morbidity and mortality rates due to dengue in Indonesia.