Montego Bay, November 6, 2019 – Jamaica – Regional Director of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Errol Greene, says the Ministry of Health and Wellness is providing the necessary resources to strengthen vector control in the western parishes.  He said that the fleet of vehicles is being increased with eight pickup trucks ordered to add to the eight already serving the parishes.

“We are getting yet another 10 pickup trucks for the region – three for St. James, three for Westmoreland, and two each for Hanover and Trelawny,” he added.

“These pickup trucks will be mounted with ultra-low volume fogging machines, because they will be used only for vector [control] purposes,” Mr. Greene said.

He was addressing the St. James Public Health Services Vector Control Symposium, which was held at the RIU Montego Bay Resort on Friday (November 1).  He noted that for St. James, which is one of the larger parishes in the region, 30 additional vector control workers have been engaged under the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) programme.

“Approval was granted for the rental of additional motor vehicles to transport workers and equipment to do vector control work,” Mr. Greene said.

He lauded the work of the St. James Public Health Department in carrying out public education and sensitisation, noting that “even though we are doing so much, there is still a lot more to be done”.

He said that the Ministry of Health and Wellness will be staging a town hall this month to discuss issues related to dengue fever in western Jamaica.

The symposium brought together stakeholders to discuss the Aedes aegypti mosquito, mosquito-borne illnesses, as well as the prevention and destruction of mosquito breeding sites in the region, particularly in barrier zones, which are areas surrounding the port of entries such as the airports and cruise-ship piers.

Acting Chief Public Health Inspector for St. James, Nadia Burgess, said that these zones must be protected.  She further commended the input of the various stakeholders, noting that partnerships are paramount in the fight against dengue.

Among the topics discussed at the symposium were local regulations governing port health, introduction to mosquito control and breeding sites, and chemical usage in mosquito control.

The event, under the theme, ‘Mosquito control: Joining the fight against dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases’, was held in partnership with the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

Contact: Serena Grant

Release: JIS

Photo Captions:

Header: Regional Director of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Errol Greene, addresses stakeholders during the St. James Public Health Services’ Vector Control Symposium, which was held at the RIU Montego Bay Resort on Friday (November 1).

Insert: Participants in the St. James Public Health Services’ Vector Control Symposium, which was held at the RIU Montego Bay Resort on Friday (November 1).

SERENA GRANT PHOTOS