National Dengue Day 2025: Early Monsoon Spark Advisory on Prevention
India observes National Dengue Day on May 16 every year to raise awareness about the dengue fever with onset of monsoon season. To control the spread of the disease, government highlights the importance of early prevention, public participation, and timely medical care. The theme of National Dengue Day for the year 2025 is “Act early, stop dengue: clean environment, healthy life.” In simple words, this theme says that to prevent dengue, we should react early and keep the environment clean and healthy so that the risk of dengue can be reduced.
With the early arrival of the monsoon, the Union Health Ministry has directed all air, sea, and land ports across the country to step up surveillance for vector-borne diseases. To curb the spread of infections such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever authorities have been asked to strengthen preventive and control measures.
The advisory comes amid concerns over rising cases during the rainy season, a span that sees a surge in mosquito breeding and transmission. India continues to report a significant number of cases and deaths linked to vector-borne illnesses each year. The National Dengue Day 2025 aims to increase awareness of the importance of taking preventative action to fight dengue fever.
Here are some measures to be taken to prevent dengue
- Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites:
⦁ Remove stagnant water: This is the most critical step, as Aedes mosquitoes which transmit dengue, breed in small amounts of stagnant water. This includes emptying flower pots, pet dishes, and other containers regularly.
⦁ Ensure water storage containers are properly covered: This prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs in them.
⦁ Fix leaky faucets and ensure proper drainage: This eliminates potential breeding sites.
⦁ Encourage community involvement: This can help to ensure that everyone is taking steps to prevent mosquito breeding. - Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites:
⦁ Wear protective clothing: Long-sleeved shirts and pants can help to shield your skin from bites.
⦁ Consider installing screens on windows and doors: This can help to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
⦁ Use insect repellents: Apply repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin and clothing.
⦁ Stay indoors during peak mosquito activity: Aedes mosquitoes are most active during the day, so staying inside during peak hours can reduce your risk of being bitten.
⦁ Use mosquito nets: While Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, mosquito nets can be helpful for protecting children during sleep.
⦁ Travel precautions: If you are traveling to a region with a high risk of dengue, take extra precautions, such as using mosquito repellent and staying in accommodations with good mosquito control measures.
With government issuing guidelines and creating themes for awareness the onus also lies on us the people to keep our surrounding hygienic because we are the ones who need to be aware and take basic care of our environment we thrive in.