Assessment of the Environmental Conditions Associated with Emerging Vector Borne Disease Dengue and Recommended Corrective actions for Prevention in Nepal

Abstract

Dengue Fever/Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is now endemic in more than 100 countries and threatens the health of about 40% of the world's population (2.5 billion), particularly in tropical and subtropical regions and predominantly in urban and peri-urban areas. Over 1.2 million cases were reported to WHO in 1998, the greatest number ever for a single year. There are an estimated 50 million infections annually, including 400,000 cases of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. Because dengue infections have the potential of rapid spread leading to acute public health problems, special attention is required to be paid for its surveillance, prevention and control. It has been found that 55% urban population lacks waste management facility, 46% lack sanitation facility, 47 % are deprived of piped drinking water supply. Urban poor and squatters are increasing. This situation is due to population increase and unmanaged planning. Inadequate physical infrastructure, inadequate waste management, pollution, encroachment of public land and resources, decreased of agricultural land and haphazard expansion of urban dwellers, slum and squatters will further aggravate the urban environment causing health related problems such as water-born and vector-based fever such as Dengue. Planned cities presents compact, efficient land-use, better access to infrastructure and services, efficient resource use, less pollution and minimum waste. A well planned city virtually eliminates the artificial water logging areas and poorly accessible but uncovered dark places. Increase in population and unmanaged planning have led to various environmental conditions which in turn have led to the emergence of various vector borne diseases like Dengue. It is therefore necessary to maintain a planned city that will ensure efficient resource use, less pollution and access to infrastructure and services. Keywords: corrective actions; Dengue; environmental conditions; vector borne diseases.