Use persons already trained to fight ZIKV - Opposition

The Ministry of Health has sought to address concerns by the Opposition People's National Party about whether persons who are already trained to assist in the fight against the spread of the Zika virus will be left out of the current programme.

Director of Environmental Health at the ministry Everton Baker told The Gleaner yesterday that persons with previous training will be included in the selection of the anti-ZIKV team.

"We are going to be recruiting temporary workers for the Zika virus infection programme, and persons who were subsequently trained will be part of the pool for selection to this programme starting July 1," Baker added.

Opposition Spokesman on Local Government Noel Arscott had said that while the Opposition fully supported the fight against the spread of the Zika virus, it was calling on the Government not to reinvent the wheel by creating a new on-the-ground team to work in the communities and constituencies.

WASTE OF RESOURCES

"Any new selection of trainees to lead the ZIKV on-the-ground community programme would be a waste of scarce resources as the previous government, in preparation for what is now seemingly a spread of the virus, had planned ahead, and so those previously trained should now be engaged instead of starting from scratch," Arscott said.

He noted that the ZIKV containment programme should be accelerated with the Government deploying persons who are committed and fully prepared to stop the spread of the virus.

- Camille Williams, Intern