Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Parents encouraged to protect children from contraction Dengue Fever
#Kingston, January 31, 2019 – Jamaica – Parents are being advised to observe the recommended safety measures put forward by the Ministry of Health to protect children from contracting dengue fever.
Speaking with JIS News, Consultant Paediatrician/Paediatric Nephrologist at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Dr. Sandrica Young Peart, said that children are among the most vulnerable groups at risk of contracting 
the virus.
“Individuals or persons who have chronic or underlying conditions are also at increased risk of getting the severe form of dengue,” she said.
The groups include pregnant women, infants or babies, older persons, those who have chronic underlying conditions, such as diabetes, kidney problems, sickle cell disease, cancer or persons who are taking medications that affect their immune system.
“Anything that affects your immune system is going to affect your response to the virus,” Dr. Young Peart informed.
She emphasised that parents can protect children by ensuring they wear long sleeves, especially at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
“These types of clothes provide maximum coverage, especially at dusk and early morning, because these are the times of day that the Aedes aegypti mosquito is likely to feed or to bite,” she added.
They are also encouraged to apply insect repellent that contains DEET or picaridin to children before they go to school, and to use mosquito nets over their beds. For older children, parents can allow them to take an insect repellent with them to school, so they can reapply it throughout the course of the day.
Dr. Young Peart cautioned that insect repellents that contain DEET should not be used on infants younger than two months.
“Substances containing DEET are toxic to younger infants and can be poisonous and cause them to develop central nervous system symptoms of lethargy or display signs of poisoning,” she noted. She also advised parents to encourage children to stay inside as much as possible to minimise the chances of being bitten.
Parents should also ensure that children maintain a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and take multi-vitamins and vitamin C to boost the immune system.
“What they can do is take the same things that we encourage persons to take for any illness, such as virus or the flu, which is to take multi-vitamins, daily doses of vitamin C and eat healthy – plenty of fruits and vegetables,” Dr. Young Peart advised.
She is encouraging parents to remain on high alert to see if children exhibit symptoms of the virus. Manifestations of the virus in children include persistent fever and diarrhoea. Infants may also have seizures.
“What we want is to encourage parents to have a high index of suspicion for dengue fever. We recommend that once the child is having persistent fever, vomiting, losing appetite, is very lethargic or fussy and miserable, then they should take the child in to be reviewed by a physician as soon as possible,” she urged.
Release: JIS
Contact: Rochelle Williams
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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