Amidst this recent record-breaking dengue epidemic, a glimmer of hope can be found in the clinical trials for a dengue vaccine conducted in Bangladesh. Researchers from icddr,b and the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont in the US have conducted this trial and the results have shown safety and immune responsiveness in both children and adults.
Dengue is a seasonal epidemic in Bangladesh, with hundreds of people losing their lives and thousands hospitalized every year. While authorities have adopted infrastructural and behavioural modification activities to combat this disease, if nations with similar weather conditions are any indication, the only way to fight this disease is through epidemiological solutions.
While Bangladesh has lagged behind on that front, this latest breakthrough has the potential to be a game-changer for us.
What’s more impressive is the fact that a home-grown vaccine has the potential to end such a destructive disease. Dengue is especially prevalent in regions with humid and wet climates, which means it is found across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, etc. If we can crack this vaccine and manufacture it on a mass scale, we have the potential to not only eradicate this disease from Bangladesh, but our medical community the opportunity to have a meaningful, sustainable impact on an international scale.
Kudos to the researchers for such a groundbreaking achievement. The administration needs to make sure that they have every support they need to breeze through the next steps of the research. Proper support during manufacturing has to be ensured to meet demands in a sustainable way as well.