A Hong Kong-based foundation is seeking to have a successful dengue control project implemented in Timor-Leste included in World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, according to its president.
Since the beginning of 2024, the GX Foundation has installed more than 2,500 mosquito-repelling lamps and distributed nearly 73,000 insect-trapping tapes, almost 85,000 rapid dengue detection tests and approximately 900 mosquito nets across Timor-Leste’s 14 municipalities.
“We are trying to include this physical method of killing mosquitoes and controlling the spread of dengue and other diseases in the WHO’s guidelines,” said Leung Chun-ying in an interview.
Official data indicates that Timor-Leste recorded its lowest number of new dengue infections in four years during the first quarter of 2025, with no cases reported in five municipalities. This success highlights the potential for targeted interventions to significantly reduce disease burden.
Yet, the number of infections has risen again this year, exceeding 1,300 cases in just over a month – primarily in the capital, Díli – and resulting in seven deaths.
In response to the recent increase, GX has sent medications to the Guido Valadares National Hospital, along with an additional 5,500 rapid tests, 1,300 mosquito nets, and 50,000 insect-trapping tapes throughout the territory.
Despite the sharp increase in dengue cases in Timor-Leste in 2026, Leung maintained that “great progress” has been made, particularly when compared to neighboring countries like Indonesia or Singapore.
The foundation’s success in mosquito control in Timor-Leste was initially recognized in an article published in March 2025 by the medical journal The Lancet.
Last weekend, Leung revealed that The Lancet accepted a second article about the foundation’s work, featuring “broader coverage, also outside of Timor-Leste.”
This expansion comes as GX, which previously focused primarily on cataract surgeries, has exported the mosquito control methods used in Timor-Leste to Honduras, Djibouti, Laos, Cambodia, Vanuatu, and Fiji.
While acknowledging that “these are different countries, with different climates and rainy seasons,” Leung emphasized that the foundation’s work is based on “two universal principles.”
“If there are no mosquitoes, there are no mosquito-borne diseases. And if we kill mosquitoes faster than they can reproduce, then there will be no mosquitoes,” the leader explained.
Leung argued that relying on insecticides – which can cause health problems – has failed, as mosquitoes “develop resistance to chemicals.”
In August, the Timorese government began releasing mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria, which reduces the transmission of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.
However, Leung cautioned that “all the ecological consequences of this method are not yet known,” and that This proves also “extremely expensive.” “We are talking about five million US dollars [4.2 million euros] per project,” he said.
lusa/HN
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