India shifts dengue strategy toward preventive urban control

India’s health authorities are moving from reactive outbreak response to a preventive approach for dengue, a disease that has become hyper‑endemic with 94,198 reported cases as of 17 September 2023. Climate change and rising urban density are expanding mosquito breeding sites in construction zones, rooftops, drains and other stagnant‑water locations.

The initiative, outlined by Subrata Pal, head of the fumigant and public‑health business at UPL SAS, calls for early‑stage vector management, improved water‑management practices and public‑awareness campaigns. New tactics include naturally derived, fermentation‑based active ingredients and integrated vector‑management solutions that target mosquito development before adult populations surge.

The aim is to reduce reliance on seasonal, reactive measures and build resilient, healthier urban communities across India.