Every year, on the 18th of Farvardin (April 7th), World Health Day is celebrated. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) presents and implements programs in collaboration with governments of different countries to improve the health of people around the world.

We search for Persian health websites, including the website of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, the website of the World Health Organization’s representative office in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also the English website of this representative office, which unfortunately shows no sign of Iran’s participation in the World Health Organization’s 2014 plan.

On the website of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, only a statement by Ayatollah Khamenei titled “General Health Policies” was published on World Health Day, April 18, in which there was no mention of the World Health Organization’s plan and more emphasis was placed on “recognizing, explaining, promoting, developing and institutionalizing traditional Iranian medicine.” It seems that in this section as well, the policy of the Islamic Republic for self-sufficiency and return to traditional medicine is being pursued without considering the plans of the World Health Organization.

On the website of the World Health Organization’s representative office in Iran, there is no updated news or educational material in Persian regarding this matter or the implementation of this program in Iran. All of the information is from previous years and there is only a headline titled “World Health Day 2014: Small creatures, big threats” which, when clicked, leads to the main website of the World Health Organization and its educational programs and objectives in English. Therefore, in this article, we will provide a detailed translation of these educational programs in Persian for our dear compatriots.

World Health Day 2014, “Small bite, big threat”.

The World Health Organization has dedicated this year’s World Health Day to raising awareness about vector-borne diseases (VBDs) and specifically “dengue fever”; a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes that affects approximately one hundred million people every year.

Approximately half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting vector-borne diseases (VBD), which annually kills 17% of those affected, meaning more than one million people; despite the fact that these diseases are preventable and treatable. This year’s World Health Day program is dedicated to controlling and preventing these diseases, which is a long-term plan that extends until 2020.

Key Messages of World Health Day.

A) Small insects such as flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and freshwater snails can be carriers of dangerous diseases for you and your family, often transmitting viruses with just one bite and potentially causing death.

B) Diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, leishmaniasis, yellow fever, and African trypanosomiasis are preventable, but still have the greatest impact on some of the poorest people in the world.

More than half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting these diseases, which increases with travel.

D) You can protect yourself and your family by taking a few simple steps during travels and in suspicious areas, such as sleeping under a mosquito net, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, using insect repellents.

The World Health Organization has taken action to publish materials, posters, charts, and educational photos about diseases transmitted by small carriers. It is expected that health officials in Iran will translate and widely distribute these materials throughout the country by visiting the organization’s website. They are also expected to create educational programs on radio and television to raise awareness among the public and fulfill their duties.

Dengue fever disease is on its way to Iran.

The Deputy Director of the Center for Communicable Diseases Management at the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education says: “It is possible that dengue fever will enter the country in the coming years.” Dr. Mahmoud Nabavi, in an interview with IRNA on April 8th, added: “Cases of this disease have been seen in travelers outside the country, but it has not yet entered the country.” He has pointed out that since dengue fever exists in Pakistan, it is possible for it to enter Iran from that country.

He also mentioned the disease of hemorrhagic fever in Congo and said, “The number of cases of this disease is low, with only 200 cases per year, but the mortality rate is significant.”

What is Tab Dangi?

One of the most common diseases shared between humans and animals that is transmitted in this way is Dengue Fever.

Dengue fever has been recognized with various names, including Deng fever, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Dengue syndrome, Bone-breaking fever, Swahili Dengue fever, Philippine, Korean, Thai or Singapore hemorrhagic fever, Seven-day fever, Dengro and Dengue fever. Dengue is a Spanish word derived from “Swahili Ki denga pepo” and was used to describe individuals who experience muscle cramps in this type of disease. The word Dengue in Spanish also means “charm and charm”, referring to the way people affected by this disease walk due to joint pain and discomfort.

In general, dengue fever is a type of hemorrhagic fever belonging to the family of viral hemorrhagic fevers transmitted by arthropods (such as ticks, mosquitoes, flies, etc.) that challenges humans with mild to severe fever, shock, and ultimately death.

According to the classification of the World Health Organization, dengue fever is divided into four grades.

Grade 1: Includes a decrease in blood platelets.

Grade Two: Spontaneous Bleeding.

Grade Three: Decrease in blood pressure.

Grade Four: Shock.

In this classification, grades one and two, which are milder, are called Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and grades three and four, which are more severe, are called Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS).

Transportation methods.

The dengue virus, also known as DEN, belongs to the Flaviviridae family and the Flavivirus genus. Its genetic material is RNA and it has 4 types from 1 to 4. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, also known as the “Asian tiger mosquito,” is now found worldwide and breeds in humid areas and places such as water-filled containers, old tires, and stored items. It prefers small, clean water sources for reproduction. The mosquito’s breeding sites can be created by humans, such as in Thailand where water is stored in clay pots inside or around homes. Water in flower pots, small puddles, coconut shells, tin cans, etc. can also serve as suitable breeding sites for the mosquito. The mosquito eggs are resistant to dryness and are laid on the surface of water in containers. They remain inactive until the start of the monsoon rains

Prevention.

The best and most practical way of prevention is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. This can be achieved by following safety and hygiene principles when traveling to high-risk areas. As mentioned, the disease has become endemic in 112 countries around the world, with the main focus being in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. Travelers to these areas must cooperate with local health officials and take precautions to prevent being bitten by Aedes mosquitoes. This is especially important for a country like Iran, where there is limited awareness about disease-carrying mosquitoes, and other factors such as not taking mosquito bites seriously and frequent spring and summer trips to the mentioned countries. The fight against mosquitoes, which is on the agenda of affected countries, must be taken more seriously. Eliminating breeding sites and reproduction of mosquitoes, such as water holes, is the best way to directly combat them. Additionally, spraying affected areas with insecticides is a viable solution for direct combat against mosquitoes. Indirectly,

According to the report of the Pasteur Institute of Iran, the Egyptian species of mosquito, which is the main carrier of the disease, has not been observed in Iran, but other species exist in Iran. The Egyptian species of mosquito is abundant in neighboring countries such as Pakistan, which greatly increases the risk of the disease spreading to Iran. Understanding this danger is evident in the fact that Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) was first transmitted from the soil of Pakistan and Afghanistan to Iran over a decade ago, and now with the virus becoming endemic, the disease has spread in Iran.

1- Educational booklet of the World Health Organization on dengue fever, the media center of the World Health Organization.