Control of dengue vectors in Singapore

Singapore has a well-established system for the surveillance, research and control of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Control of these vectors comes under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Public Health Division of the Ministry of the Environment. The strategy for Aedes control is an integrated approach incorporating case detection, source reduction, health education and law enforcement. This is done through the Quarantine & Epidemiology Department (dengue surveillance and research), Vector Control & Research Department (Aedes surveillance, control and research), Environmental Health Department (environmental sanitation and hygiene) and Public Education Department (health education on dengue prevention and control). Despite its success in reducing the Aedes population to a house index of around 1%, the incidence of dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever has increased sharply during the last 5 years. The Ministry realises that the dengue problem can only be tackled on a regional basis and it is with this objective in mind that the Institute of Environmental Epidemiology has been formed to collaborate with other international agencies in operational research and training projects.