The dengue prevention, surveillance and control programme in the state of Morelos, Mexico

Abstract The objective of this paper is to examine the dengue prevention, surveillance and control programme in the state of Morelos, Mexico in the light of Mexican and international guidelines, as well as literature published on the issue. We conducted a literature search with relevant search terms to provide background material for this study. Furthermore, we reviewed official Mexican norms and manuals concerning the dengue programme. Through semi-structured interviews with key informants in the Health Services of Morelos, we tried to establish how the programme is implemented in Morelos. Informants were also interviewed on their experiences with and opinions on the programme. Findings were discussed considering relevant norms and literature. We found that much regard is currently given to the issue of dengue in Morelos, due to an increasingly concerning epidemiological situation. Epidemiological surveillance is well-functioning, and new computerised systems help in analysis of data. Entomological surveillance and control are carried out after international norms, and efforts are made to establish entomological indices with better predictive value. The formally organised community participation programme (Patio Limpio) may not be working optimally for several reasons, including underlying cultural and social conditions. Other means of social intervention and education including public information campaigns seem to be prioritised, and may have larger impact. The issue of integrating institutions outside the health sector in the dengue prevention work is addressed. A future challenge will be optimising intersectorial cooperation in order to remedy underlying socioeconomic problems that contribute to the concerning dengue situation in Morelos