In a collaborative effort to combat dengue and improve public health, Takeda Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading managed care organization MiCare, along with insurance leaders Great Eastern Life Malaysia, Tokio Marine Life Malaysia, MCIS Life, Hong Leong Assurance and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Berhad.
Together, Takeda and its partners will increase access to vital dengue prevention resources, while also enhancing education on a variety of health topics, with a focus on integrated dengue prevention methods, including vaccination.
Amid the escalating threat of dengue in Malaysia, the partners aim to engage up to 1.7 million policy/ certificate holders, providing them with essential knowledge and resources to prevent the disease. By raising awareness of the increasing risk of dengue and offering access to dengue vaccination as an additional preventive option, the collaboration takes a comprehensive approach to safeguard public health across the country.
Dengue management imposes significant direct and indirect costs, with the estimated economic burden reaching US$102 million (RM447 million) annually.[i] More than 90% of the budget allocated to combat dengue is spent on vector control measures.[ii] However, the more profound impact on the rakyat—their quality of life and long-term health—is harder to quantify.
This collaboration is driven by a shared commitment to reduce the impact of dengue in Malaysia and improve overall community health, mitigating its effects on both individuals and the nation.
Public health experts suggest that vaccination, when integrated with vector control measures to manage mosquito populations and personal efforts to prevent bites, could help reduce dengue cases and hospitalizations.[iii] [iv] A recent analysis projects that a well-planned dengue vaccination program could save Malaysia RM4.3 billion over the next three decades.[v]
“At Takeda, we’re committed to building an ecosystem of partnerships to facilitate access to dengue vaccination as one of the methods in an integrated dengue prevention strategy. By collaborating with insurers/ takaful operators, healthcare providers, and other key stakeholders, we’re helping to raise dengue awareness and, open up new pathways for people to access vaccination as an additional preventive method. Our goal is to ensure more people are protected, especially in high-risk areas, while also contributing to the national mission of building healthier, more resilient communities across the country,” said Dr Lynette Moey, Country General Manager, Takeda Malaysia & Singapore.
Facilitated by MiCare, the collaboration with Great Eastern Life Malaysia, Tokio Marine Life Malaysia, MCIS Life, Hong Leong Assurance and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Berhad includes provisions for both individual and group policies/ certificates. Each insurer/ takaful operator will manage rollouts aimed at raising awareness among policy/ certificate holders about dengue and ensuring broader access to integrated prevention methods, such as vaccination.
“For years, we’ve focused mainly on preventing mosquito bites and controlling breeding sites. These are essential strategies, and it is now so encouraging to have dengue vaccination alongside these methods. We stay true to our vision of making quality healthcare affordable and accessible. We’re proud therefore to unite key stakeholders to strengthen our nationwide efforts in integrating multiple prevention strategies with the strong intent to reduce the cost of dengue management and the overall social burden of dengue,” said Moses Hee, Group Chief Executive Officer of MiCare.
Policy/ certificate holders can speak to their respective insurers or MiCare for details on eligibility and terms and conditions. Malaysians can also consult doctors at private hospitals and clinics or visit knowdengue.my for more information on dengue prevention and protection.
[i] Shepard DS, Undurraga EA, Lees RS, Halasa Y, Lum LCS, Ng CW. Use of multiple data sources to estimate the economic cost of dengue illness in Malaysia [published correction appears in Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Mar;88(3):606]. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012;87(5):796-805. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0019. Errata: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Mar 6; 88(3): 606. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.883err
[ii] Packierisamy PR, Ng CW, Dahlui M, et al. Cost of Dengue Vector Control Activities in Malaysia. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2015;93(5):1020-1027. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.14-0667
[iii] Code Blue. Experts Welcome Dengue Vaccine Approval As ‘Breakthrough’ In Malaysia’s War Against Dengue. https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2024/03/experts-welcome-dengue-vaccine-approval-as-breakthrough-in-malaysias-war-against-dengue/
[iv] Abdoulaye Sow, Cherif Diallo, Hocine Cherifi, Benny Yong. Interplay between vaccines and treatment for dengue control: An epidemic model. PLoS One. 2024; 19(1): e0295025. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295025
[v] Islamic Science University of Malaysia, 20 September 2024. National Dengue Vaccination Programme May Save Malaysia RM4 Billion Over Three Decades. https://www.usim.edu.my/news/national-dengue-vaccination-programme-may-save-malaysia-rm4-billion-over-three-decades