Takeda supports health resilience amid climate change challenges

The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasised that protecting human health is now integral to climate action, as rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns fuel the spread of infectious diseases, with dengue fever becoming one of the most pressing concerns.

Once considered a seasonal illness, dengue is now a year-round public health threat, infecting more than 14 million people and caused 12,000 deaths globally in 2024.

Fuelled by climate change, growing urbanisation and increased travel, dengue is one of the fastest-growing mosquito-borne diseases, threatening nearly half the global population. Vietnam is among the most affected countries. Rising temperatures, off-season rains, and frequent natural disasters also enable Aedes mosquitoes to breed year-round. These factors are straining Vietnam’s healthcare system and reshaping disease patterns nationwide.

In response to this growing threat, Takeda, a global biopharmaceutical company with a 244-year history, has made dengue prevention a priority. It has actively supported the development and implementation of the Roadmap to Advance Dengue Prevention & Control in APEC Economies 2026-2030. This initiative aims to accelerate progress in dengue prevention, empowering member economies to adopt a proactive, coordinated, and context-specific approach.

The roadmap also emphasises the importance of long-term planning, risk reduction, and health system strengthening, while promoting regional collaboration to achieve the global goal of zero preventable dengue deaths by 2030.

Takeda supports health resilience amid climate change challenges

After more than four decades of research and development, Takeda’s dengue vaccine has now been approved in over 40 countries, including Vietnam, where the Ministry of Health granted approval in 2024. With over 18 million doses distributed globally, the vaccine is being rolled out in public programmes in Brazil, Argentina, and Indonesia, with five public programmes targeting school children. This reflects the growing role of the vaccine in efforts to prevent dengue, a disease for which no specific treatment is currently available.

Takeda’s approach goes beyond vaccine development. The company is actively working to ensure that vaccines reach the people who need them the most through health system strengthening, public-private partnerships, supply reliability and access strategies.

The company also supports local capacity-building by training healthcare professionals and raising public awareness in collaboration with medical societies and hospitals.

Benjamin Ping, general manager of Takeda Vietnam, said, “We are working closely with governments and partners to achieve the WHO’s goal of zero preventable dengue deaths by 2030. Addressing climate-driven health challenges requires shared responsibility, long-term commitment, and innovation that truly benefits people and the planet.”

With the view that human health and planetary health are inseparable, Takeda is integrating climate risk management into its global business strategy. The company is driving towards net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2040, including plans to use 100 per cent renewable electricity in the manufacturing of its dengue vaccine by the end of 2025.

At Takeda’s dengue vaccine site in Singen, Germany, the company partnered with Schott Pharma and Corplex to recycle plastic transportation trays, creating a closed-loop system that reduced emissions by up to 50 per cent per tray, while using 70 per cent recycled content.

In Vietnam, Takeda is aligning its local operations with these global goals by assessing options to reduce its environmental footprint across the country’s value chain. Takeda’s Vietnam office was selected for meeting both LEED and WELL certifications, demonstrating how workplace design can support both environmental performance and employee wellbeing.

Tackling dengue effectively requires cross-sector partnership. Governments provide direction and policy frameworks, non-governmental organisations bring deep community engagement, and companies like Takeda contribute scientific expertise to develop innovative vaccines that address major public health needs safely, swiftly, and at scale.

All sectors work together to share knowledge, resources, and common goals to build stronger, more resilient health systems. This integrated approach, combining vaccination, vector control, and health-system strengthening, reduces hospitalisation and saves lives and enhances preparedness for future climate-sensitive diseases.

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