Mosquito clean-up necessary to control dengue

Regional Vector control officer at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Ryan Morris, is imploring citizens in western Jamaica to take part in the National Dengue Clean-up drive scheduled for January 24 to 26.

The three-day exercise is aimed at destroying mosquito-breeding sites in communities, homes, schools, workplaces and churches as part of the Government’s fight against the dengue virus.

“We want everybody to come on board. It’s an opportunity to clean-up your place and get rid of breeding and potential breeding sites. It’s an opportunity to interact with the WRHA team. It is an opportunity to let us know what is happening,” Morris said.

He said that the clean-up operation will be carried out in a similar manner as Labour Day activities.

“On the 24th, the aim is to focus on schools and businesses. On the 25th; we want to go into town centres and communities for the collection of bulky waste; and on the 26th, when we will have more persons at home, we want to focus on the householder, where they can go around their premises and take out what needs to be taken out,” he said.

National agencies, local authorities, members of parliament, councillors and volunteers have been engaged to conduct clean-up activities in 158 communities across the country that are in need of urgent action to destroy mosquitoes and their breeding sites.

Grants Pen and Rae Town in the Corporate Area have been selected as national projects, to be led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Morris said it is imperative that communities partner with the Government on the clean-up operation, noting that individuals need to take personal responsibility for their health and keep their environment clean.

The regional vector control officer said that the ministry’s enhanced vector-control programme has been extended for another 15 weeks.

“With what we have achieved now, we want to grow on that. So we want to further partner with the community to better this gain. We want to continue our partnership with the municipal council to remove bulky waste. We have been having town hall meetings, and we will be having more meetings so as to sensitise communities as to what is going on,” he noted.

The WRHA has oversight for the parishes of St James, Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny.