The document provides a summary of the 1st IFEH Asia and Pacific Conference on Environmental Health held in 2006 in Malaysia. The conference focused on sustainable management of dengue and had 31 presentations across various topics related to dengue prevention and control. Key recommendations from the conference included strengthening environmental health services, adopting cost-effective dengue prevention at the local level, and reassessing urban infrastructure design to enable preventive vector control.

1. Final Report
1st
IFEH Asia and the Pacific Conference on Environmental Health 2006
Theme: “Towards Sustainable Management of Dengue”
1. Executive Summary
The Malaysian Association of Environmental Health (MAEH) and the PETRONAS
University of Technology (UTP) jointly organized an International Conference on
Environmental Health carrying the theme “Towards Sustainable Management Of
Denque” from 13 to 15 March 2006.
The event was successfully held at the UTP premises and was officiated by Y.B. Dato’
G.Rajoo, Perak State Executive Councillor for National Unity and Consumer Affairs,
representing the Chief Minister of the State of Perak, Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri Diraja (Dr)
Mohamad Tajol Rosli bin Ghazali.
A total of 488 participants from various sectors attended this conference and 31
technical papers were presented.
2. Introduction
Dengue fever has become the most important mosquito-borne viral disease, affecting
humans in nearly 100 tropical countries. The global distribution of vectors for the
quartet of dengue viruses, is comparable to that of malaria, and an estimated 2.5
billion people are living in areas at risk of localized and widespread epidemics.
Due to the persistence of dengue epidemics in Malaysia and in the countries of the
Asia and Pacific Region, MAEH which currently chairs the International Federation of
Environmental Health (IFEH) Asia and Pacific Regional Group advocates an
integrated and systematic approach to address this problem. In collaboration, with
UTP and the State Government of Perak, MAEH and IFEH planned to promote the
new ideas and solutions through this conference.
The aim of this conference was to bring together the collective experiences of
operational and field research personnel from various disciplines to formulate
innovative strategies and best practices for a more sustainable approach towards the
prevention and control of dengue.
Through this approach the global distribution of both vector mosquitoes and the
viruses can be controlled to a level which will reduce the risk of cross introduction
between countries in this region and elsewhere.
3. Objectives
1. To recommend to the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen and
upgrade the existing Environmental Health Services in each member country
especially in the area of Vector Control.
2. To formulate an Environmental Health Management strategic plan for Local
Governments to adopt cost-effective measures for the sustainable
prevention and control of dengue in urban centers as an integral part of
Local Agenda 21.

2. 3. To propose the re-assessment, design and re-engineering of urban water
supply, drainage, solid waste and sewerage disposal systems as a basis for
preventive vector control.
4. To integrate existing networks between Government agencies and NGOs for
continued research in vector control both locally and abroad.
5. To promote the establishment and maintenance of local bio-diversity and
prevent the introduction of invasive species for the preservation and natural
recovery of urban and sub-urban ecosystems.
4. Response and Participation.
A total of 31 Technical Papers were presented at the conference by practitioners from
various disciplines including those traditionally not involved in activities and research
related to the theme of the Conference. The participants included those in private
sector related to pest and vector control services, high ranking officials from Federal ,
State and Local Government services as well as those from Academic and Research
Institutions involved in vector control and other environmental health disciplines. A
total of 209 students studying Environmental Health in 4 Local Universities were
sponsored to attend this Conference. A summary list of presentations is included in
Appendix 1.
5. Conference Programme.
A transcript of the Final Conference Programme is included in Appendix 2.
6. Findings
6.1 The paper presentations covered various aspects of Engineering, Medical,
Entomological and Ecological methods and models for Dengue Management and
Control.
6.2 Broadly the papers were classified into:
a. Situational Reports and Analysis.
b. Scientific Research Findings on Current and Future methods of prevention
and control.
c. Reporting and Sharing of Experiences using variations of current
methods and strategies for Reactive Emergency Response and Control.
d. Suggestions for Improving and Enhancing Emergency Response and
Control.
e. Reporting of Innovative Strategies and Methodologies and
Recommendations for Sustainable Prevention.

3. 7. Recommendations
The Scientific and Technical Organising Committee after deliberating on the
presentations during the Conference makes the following recommendations:
a. For sustainable management of dengue, the primary factors contributing to
the transmission of dengue should be identified and considered for the formulation of
program targets aimed at the collective prevention of local epidemics.
b. Future indicators should be based on management commitment to the systematic
reduction of vector densities to levels below the threshold of transmission.
c. Survelliance of environmental vector densities should be carried out by monitoring
oviposition in lethal traps placed at regular intervals radiating out of densely
populated areas or near areas of high human congregation or traffic.
d. Environmental sanitation and management of open spaces to eliminate vector
densities and prevent reinfestation or reinfiltration of vector into habitable premises.
e. Prevention of inter-urban transfer of infested goods and vehicles through
quarantine and disinfestations procedures.
8. Future targets
The proposed targets based on scientifically achievable factors should be as follows:
a. To reduce the annual prevalence of dengue by 10 percent per annum to a level
where the prevalence of dengue is limited to imported cases only.
b. To prevent the incidence of localized and widespread epidemics by minimising
man-mosquito contact.
c. The systematic elimination of open dumping in unused plots of land should be
carried out by enforcement of local government laws.
d. Promotion of waste minimization efforts through recycling and reuse man-
made receptacles which harbour and maintain high vector densities.
e. The gradual elimination of unused or vacant plots of land through urban
landscaping initiatives.
f. The promotion of local biodiversity and eco-system rehabilitation..
g. The inclusion of engineered wetlands features maintaining aquatic ecosystems
which attract and eliminate mosquito production.
h. The introduction of predatory fish and insects into clear water wells of
individual septic tanks and other permanent water holding structures such as
sump pits.
i. The progressive rebuilding of abandoned construction projects by redesigning
structures which do not become breeding and resting sites for mosquitoes.
j. The elimination of chemical fogging which causes collateral ecosystem damage.
k. To promote the proper use of indoor aerosol space spraying cans and autocidal
ovitraps to gradually decimate vector species in habitable premises located in
urban and suburban centres.

4. l. To carry out vigorous inter-urban quarantine of receptacles to prevent re-
infestation through translocation of infective stages of dengue vectors.
9. Conclusion
9.1 The Management of Dengue should be vigorously proactive and managed by
Local Authorities via Land management strategies. This is to promote and
preserve local biodiversity which can help maintain the balance of potential vector
species which might otherwise proliferate too extensively in urban and sub-urban
environments which are usually ecologically compromised.
9.2 To ensure the empowerment of Local Authorities, a Regional Workshop under
the auspices of the World Health Organisation, involving all dengue control
agencies and research groups in countries included in the Asia and the Pacific
IFEH Regional Group would meet as soon as possible to discuss these newly
proposed strategies in order to formulate local policies for the empowerment of
grassroot levels of government.
9.3 Local Governments would then be able to take proactive action for the
sustainable management of urban environments and ensure the ecological
suppression of potential dengue-bearing vector densities. In the long term, this
will result in minimizing man-mosquito contact and in turn reducing probabilities
of inter-urban centre transmission and widespread epidemics.
9.4 The WHO as Chairperson of the Workshop would be a key player in the
adoption of some of these strategies through policy frameworks which could be
harmonized with existing international quarantine regulations and other
regulatory guidelines that could readily be acceptable by policy makers in
member countries under the technical leadership of the Western Pacific and the
South East Asia Regional Offices. The IFEH Regional Group Chairman and the
Malaysian Association of Environmental Health and the PETRONAS University of
Technology would be the Workshop Organizing Secretariat.
Prepared by:
1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nasiman Sapari, Conference Chairman (UTP)
2. Veeramohan Supramaniam, Joint Conference Secretary (MAEH)
3. Wan Tarmizi bin Wan Ismail, Joint Conference Secretary(UTP)

5. Appendix 1
1
ST
IFEH ASIA and THE PACIFIC REGIONAL GROUP
CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Theme - SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF DENGUE
13 – 15 MARCH 2006
LIST OF PAPERS PRESENTED
S/N PRESENTERS DEPT TITLE REMARKS
1 Dr Mohamad Ikhsan
Selamat
Ministry of
Health, Malaysia
Dengue Epidemiology in Malaysia – An
Update
2 Dr. Lee Han Lim Institute of
Medical
Research (IMR)
Dengue Control – What now
3 Veeramohan S Perak Tengah
Health Office
An Integrated Ecosystems Approach to
Sustainable Vector Control
4 Ermi Ndeon School of
Environmental
Planning, Griffith
University,
Brisbane,
Australia
Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of
malaria in Indonesia, using Geographic
Information Systems
5 Subramaniam K Ampang Jaya
Municipal
Council
Effectiveness of larviciding against aedes
larvae in Ampang Jaya Municipality
6 Mohd Mubin Mohd
Noor
Universiti
Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM)
Psychology as a tool to solve environment and
vector problem
7 Rajendran P.K Dewan
Bandaraya Kuala
Lumpur
Environmental factors which contribute to the
incident of dengue fever and dengue
hemorrhagic fever in Subang Jaya Municipal
Council
8 Kalthom A.A Universiti
Teknologi MARA
(UiTM), P.J
Preventing substandard care in nursing client
with dengue’
9 A.P Dr Nasiman Sapari Universiti
Teknologi
PETRONAS
(UTP)
Retention of water in engineering structure and
the problem of
mosquitoes breeding
10 Dr Tintin Farihatini West Java
Provincial Health
Office
The study of risk factors associated with the
present of aedes species larvae – the vector of
dengue hemorrhage fever (DHF) in Bekasi
City, West Java, Indonesia’
11 Murugan.S SK Kota Masai,
Johor
Knowledge and Practices in Controlling
Dengue Among Primary School Children, S.K
Kota Masai, Johor
12 Subramaniam K Universiti
Teknologi MARA
(UiTM), P.J
Climate change and its impact on
communicable control : Dengue Fever
13 Faridah Md Said Universiti Putra
Malaysia (UPM)
Management of Dengue from Public Health
Nurses Perspective’
14 Subramaniam K Universiti
Teknologi MARA
(UiTM), P.J
Emergency planning, preparedness and
response in dengue fever outbreak’
15 Edwin Rolland Anthony
Dass
Challenges In Sustaining The Control Of
Dengue Outbreak In Pulau Ketam’
16 Dr Indra Vitilingam Institute of
Medical
Research (IMR)
PCR as a tool for determination of dengue
fever’
17 Shaari Ahmad Junid Malaysian
Association of
Environmental
Health (MAEH)
Legislation in urban planning

6. 18 Raju Seberang Prai
Municipal
Council
War on Aedes and Dengue Fever’
19 Dr Ismail Lasa Petaling Health
Office, Selangor
Ops GIGIT : Curbing Dengue Fever Outbreak
in Shah Alam
20 A.P Dr Nasiman Sapari UTP Management of urban open spaces for dengue
control’
21 Dr M. Kalaivani Petaling Health
Office, Selangor
All Out For Dengue (AO4D) : Task Force for
Construction’
22 Mohd Mubin Mohd
Noor
Universiti
Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM)
Field Efficacy of Resigen, Cynoff and Piper
Aduncum Linn. Ectract against the dengue
vector aedes Albopictus skuse in Discarded
Tires
23 Ir Hj Mohd Ridzwan Hj
K Othman
Public Work
Department,
Perak
Eradication of Dengue : Engineering Efforts
24 Dr Zainol Pawan Chee Dewan
Bandaraya Kuala
Lumpur
Mosquito Larve Typing Device – MLTD The
Paradoxial Tool in Aedes and Dengue Control
25 Dr A. Asnida COMBI Approach For Schools: Petaling
Experience’
26 Topek O, Department of
Health, Kedah
Pattern of Dengue Fever cases: An Analysis
For Kajang Municipal Council Area, Hulu
Langat District’
27 Abd Khadir B Abd Aziz Jabatan
Pengaliran dan
Saliran (JPS)
Negeri Perak
Concept and features of the Malaysian Urban
Storm Water Management Manual In Relation
to Dengue Control
28 Rafee Baharuddin Malaysian
Association of
Environmental
Health (MAEH)
The Influence of Environmental Factors That
contribute To The Incidence of Dengue Fever’
at Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor
29 J.P Shanmungam Society of
Environmental
Health (SOCEH),
Singapore
Singapore’s Experience in The Control of
Dengue During The Recent Epidemic’
30 Prof Dr. Abu Hasan Faculty of
Biological
Science, USM
The Biology of Aedes aegypti.
31 Ermi Ndoen School of
Environmental
Planning, Griffith
University,
Brisbane,
Australia
Factors Associated With The Pattern of
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) Incidence
in Indonesia’

7. Appendix 2
1
ST
IFEH ASIA and THE PACIFIC REGIONAL GROUP
CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Theme - SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF DENGUE
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
13 March 2006 (Monday)
Venue: Village 5, UTP Tronoh, and Hotels in Ipoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan
2.00 - 6.00 pm - Conference registration
14 March 2006 (Tuesday)
Venue: Chancellor Hall, UTP
8.00 am - Conference Registration
9.00 am - Arrival of Guests
9.20 am - Safety Briefing
9.30 am - Arrival of Y.A.B Dato’ Seri Diraja (Dr) Mohamad Tajol
Rosli bin Ghazali, Menteri Besar Perak Darul Ridzuan.
9.35 am - Doa Recital
9.40 am - Welcoming speech by Conference Chairman,
As.Prof. Dr.Nasiman Sapari.
9.45 am - Speech by Dr Zainal Abidin Hj Kasim
Rector of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS.
10.00 am - Officiation and Opening Speech by Y.A.B Dato’ Seri Diraja (Dr)
Mohamad Tajol Rosli bin Ghazali, Menteri Besar Perak Darul Ridzuan.
10.30 am - Keynote Address by En Shaari Ahmad Junid,
President of Malaysian Association of Environmental Health (MAEH) cum
Chairman of International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) for
Asia & The Pacific Region, year 2005/07.
11.00 am - Tea break
Venue: Chancellor Hall, UTP
11.30 am - Plenary 1,.
(Session Chairman: Mr Chandrakant Patel, MAEH)
- ‘Dengue Epidemiology in Malaysia – An Update’
by Dr Mohamad Ikhsan Selamat, Principal Assistant Director
Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia
- ‘Dengue Control – What now?’ Dr. Lee Han Lim, Director
Vector Research Unit, Institute of Medical Research (IMR)
12.30 pm - Lunch

8. Venue: Pocket D (D 2)
2.15 – 5.00pm - Parallel 1- Session A,
(Session Chairman: As.Prof. Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib,
Director of Research Enterprise Office, UTP)
- ‘An Integrated Ecosystems Approach to Sustainable Vector Control’,
(Veeramohan S, Chief Asst. Environmental Health Officer,
District Health Office, Perak Tengah)
- ‘Effectiveness of larviciding against aedes larvae in Ampang Jaya
Municipality (Subramaniam K., MPAJ)
- ‘Psychology as a tool to solve environment and vector problem’.
(M Mubin M Noor, Lecturer UKM)
- Environmental factors which contribute to the incident of dengue
fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever in Subang Jaya Municipal
Council’ (Rajendran P.K., DBKL)
- ‘Preventing substandard care in nursing client with dengue’.
(Kalthom A.A.,UiTM)
- ‘Retention of water in engineering structure and the problem of
mosquitoes breeding (Dr. Nasiman, S., M Sanif, M., UTP)
Venue: Pocket D (D 3)
2.15 – 5.00pm - Parallel 1- Session B
(Session Chairman: As.Prof. Ir Dr Mohd Amin Abd Majid,
Senior Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering Program, UTP)
- ‘The study of risk factors associated with the present of aedes
species larvae – the vector of dengue hemorrhage fever (DHF) in
Bekasi City, West Java, Indonesia’
(Dr Tintin Farihatini, West Java Provincial Health Office)
- ‘Knowledge and Practices in Controlling Dengue Among Primary
School Children, SK Kota Masai, Johor’ (Murugan. S.,)
- ‘Climate change and its impact on communicable control : Dengue
Fever’ (Subramaniam K., UiTM)
- ‘Management of Dengue from Public Health Nurses Perspective’.
(Faridah Md Said, UPM)
- ‘Emergency planning, preparedness and response in dengue fever
outbreak’ (Subramaniam K., UiTM)
- ‘Challenges In Sustaining The Control Of Dengue Outbreak In Pulau
Ketam’ (Edwin Rolland Anthony Dass, Klang Health Office, Selangor)
5.00 pm - Tea, End of day 1

9. 15 March 2006 (Wednesday)
Venue: Pocket D (D2)
9.00am-10.15am - Parallel 2, Session A
(Chairman: En Danny Wee, MAEH)
- ‘PCR as a tool for determination of dengue fever’ (Dr Indra Vitilingam,
IMR’)
- ‘Legislation in urban planning’ (Shaari Ahmad Junid, MAEH)
- ‘War on Aedes and Dengue Fever’ (Raju, MPSP)
10.15am – 10.45am - Tea Break
10.45am – 12.30pm - ‘Ops GIGIT : Curbing Dengue Fever Outbreak in Shah Alam.
(Dr Ismail Lasa – Petaling Health Office, Selangor)’
- ‘Management of urban open spaces for dengue control’ (Nasiman,
S., UTP, Veeramohan. S., Chief Asst. Environmental Health Officer,
Perak Tengah)
- ‘All Out For Dengue (AO4D) : Task Force for Construction’
(Dr M. Kalaivani– Petaling Health Office, Selangor)
- ‘Field Efficacy of Resigen, Cynoff and Piper Aduncum Linn. Extract
against the dengue vector aedes Albopictus skuse in Discarded
Tires’ (Mubin M.N, UKM)
Venue: Pocket D (D3)
9.00am – 10.15am - Parallel 2, Session B,
(Chairman: En Chandrakant Patel, MAEH)
- ‘Eradication of Dengue : Engineering Efforts.
(Ir Hj Mohd Ridzwan Hj K Othman, JKR Perak)
- ‘Mosquito Larve Typing Device – MLTD The Parodixial Tool in Aedes
and Dengue Control’ ( Dr Zainol Pawan Chee – DBKL)
- ‘COMBI Approach For Schools: Petaling Experience’
(Dr A. Asnida – Petaling Health Office, Selangor)
10.15am – 10.45am - Tea Break
10.45am – 12.30pm - ‘Ovitrap Survey and Fogging for Dengue Control in the Seberang Perai
Tengah District, Pulau Pinang. (Goh Teng Huat) – MPSP
- ‘Pattern of Dengue Fever cases: An Analysis For Kajang Municipal
Council area, Hulu Langat District’. (Topek O., JKN Kedah)
- ‘Concept and Features of the Malaysian Urban Storm Water
Management Manual(MASMA) in relation to Dengue Control’ (Abd
Khadir B Abd Aziz, JPS Negeri Perak)
- ‘The Influence of Environmental Factors That contribute To The
Incidence of Dengue Fever’ at Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor (Rafee
Baharuddin, MAEH)
12.30pm – 2.15pm - Lunch

10. Venue: Chancellor Hall, UTP
2.15pm - 3.45pm - Plenary 2,
(Chairman : En Mohamed Noor Rosli Baharum, Head of General
Studies, UTP)
- ‘Singapore’s Experience in The Control of Dengue During The
Recent Epidemic’ (J.P Shanmungam, Society of Environmental
Health, Singapore)
- ‘Aedes Mosquitoes and Its Controls’ (Prof Dr. Abu Hasan – Faculty of
Biological Science, USM)
- Factors Associated With The Pattern of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
(DHF) Incidence in Indonesia’ (Ermi Ndoen, School of Environmental
Planning, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia)
3.45pm- 4.20pm - Conference’s conclusion.
(Session Chairman: A.P Dr Ahmad Fadzil Mohd Hani, Director of
Post Graduate Studies, UTP)
Panel members:
1. En Abd Khadir Abd Aziz, JPS Negeri Perak,
2. Ir Hj Mohd Ridzwan Hj K Othman, JKR Negeri Perak,
3. Dr Mohd Ikhsan Selamat, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
4. En Shaari Ahmad Junid, MAEH President
- Closing Ceremony
4.20pm - Arrival of Dr Marzukhi Md Isa
representing Dato’ Dr Shafie Ooyub,
Deputy Director General (Public Health),
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
4.30 pm - Closing speech by Dr Marzukhi Md Isa
Representative to Dato’ Dr Shafie Ooyub,
Deputy Director General (Public Health),
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
5.00 pm - Tea Break / End of Conference