Health Watch | Dengue vaccines: A shot to prevent outbreaks
If introduced widely, the dengue vaccine could reduce hospitalisations, severity of cases, and pressure on hospitals during outbreaks
ISSUE DATE: Apr 20, 2026 | UPDATED: Apr 10, 2026 20:08 IST
India may finally be close to getting a dengue vaccine, what public health experts had desperately wanted for years. With dengue cases rising almost every monsoon and cities seeing repeated outbreaks, a vaccine could significantly change how India deals with one of its most persistent seasonal diseases. Japanese drugs manufacturer Takeda Pharma is set to roll out its Qdenga (TAK-003) vaccine in India through a manufacturing partnership with Hyderabad-based Biological E (Bio E). Clinical trials and approval from the health ministry’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will, of course, be mandatory. The vaccine is already in use in 40 countries, including the UK, Brazil and those in Europe.