"I want to live a healthy life. I want to work, travel, and enjoy things. But that means we all have to care about Dengue prevention"
This story represents one person's experience with dengue disease. It is important to talk with your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms that could be dengue disease.
I’ve had dengue fever twice, once when I was a kid, and then again in 2014. But honestly, I don’t remember much about the first time. It was over 20 years ago. And even the second time, I mostly just remember the fever.
The last time I had dengue was in 2014, during my final year of law school. I was living outside Jakarta (Indonesia) at the time, the school was about a two-hour drive from home. I got a really high fever, about 40°C. I went home, and my dad took me to the hospital. That’s when they did a blood test and told me I had dengue.
But honestly, dengue isn’t just about getting sick. It’s part of life here.
I live in Jakarta now, and every time the rainy season starts, I know it’s dengue season. Just recently, there was a huge storm outside my window. I thought, “Yep, here we go again.”
Every time I go to a hospital during the rainy season, whether I’m visiting someone or going for a check-up, there’s always someone there with dengue. It’s just normal. I’ve seen it in my family too, my cousins had it when they were kids.
Adults get it. Kids get it. Anyone can get it.
We do have education programs. I used to work in health policy, and I know there are government-funded campaigns. But sometimes people just don’t act.
The mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti, they breed in standing water. You can walk down the street and see places where they’re definitely hanging around. But people still don’t do anything. It happens every year, and people just accept it.
Nobody wants to get sick. I don’t want to get sick. I want to live a healthy life so I can work, travel, and enjoy things. But that means we all have to care. We have to clean our spaces, educate ourselves, and stop treating dengue like it’s just something we have to live with.
Do you have a dengue story to tell?
Your experience could be the key to helping others understand the impact of dengue. Whether you have been directly affected or have supported someone through it, your story can raise awareness, inspire others, and contribute to the global fight against dengue. Every voice matters, and by sharing your story, you can make a difference.
In areas affected by dengue, mosquitoes can be found in unexpected places. Watch this video to learn about the potential threat of the dengue virus and the importance of seeking advice from a doctor to help protect against it.
