Government finally explains where the approved half a million in spending for Zika Virus control is going to be used, and half is set aside for the desperate problem of street cleaning. We also learn that there are three new cases of Zika in the territory.
Residents have been vocal about the quietness and about the apparent inactivity of the country’s Ministry of Health in the aftermath of the announcement since July; that Zika is here in TCI.
Today that silence is broken and there is an update on the action plan which includes a breakdown in how that $500 thousand dollars shifted from other capital works projects will be used to fight the bite.
The Ministry of Health says, about $80k will be used for the promotion and awareness initiative by Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit while approximately $250k will be used for street cleaning by Public Works Department.
That leaves, $170k to the Environmental Health Department for staff support and other resource needs.
While that resource needs and augmentation of staff at EHD are not detailed in the media statement issued around 2:30pm today, there is a report – by island – on what has been achieved or done between February and August 2016.
Grand Turk
778 Premises Inspection
7 Island-wide and community clean up initiatives
113 Swamp Inspection and treatment
162 fogging frequency
56 Mosquito Repellent distributed to resident
Providenciales
515 Premises Inspection
20 Island-wide and community clean up initiatives
182 Swamp Inspection and treatment
134 fogging frequency
North and Middle Caicos
557 Premises Inspection
10 Island-wide and community clean up initiatives
179 Swamp Inspection and treatment
52 fogging frequency
South Caicos
223 Premises Inspection
7 Island-wide and community clean up initiatives
67 Swamp Inspection and treatment
57 fogging frequency
Salt Cay
74 Premises Inspection
4 Island-wide and community clean up initiatives
53 Swamp Inspection and treatment
64 fogging frequency
