SIX medical technologists from the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in Kingston and the Cornwall Regional Health (CRH) in St James yesterday began receiving training for laboratory techniques in detecting leptospirosis.

The five-day training being funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) is expected to enhance the nation’s ability to diagnose and treat the disease expeditiously.

The training is also being done ahead of the re-establishment of a leptospirosis testing site at the NPHL in March. Both the CRH and the NPHL will be strengthened through the provision of the required laboratory equipment, supplies and reagents.

Dr Jennifer Thame, director of national laboratory services lauded the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and ECHO for the donation and noted that the new testing site will have a significant impact on the way outbreaks are handled.

“The establishment of this facility will enable us to perform early diagnosis and treatment,” she said during the opening ceremony for the training of the medical technologist at the NPHL in Kingston.

This brings to 15 the number of medical technologists that have been trained since 2005 in the public and private sector to test samples using the Enzyme Linked Immuno Assay (ELISA), which is rapid test that is able to detect the disease during the first week of illness. The training is being carried out by a representative from the Caribbean Epidemilogy Centre (CAREC).

Data from the Ministry of Health shows that there were 1,713 suspected cases of leptospirosis reported islandwide last year, however, 204 were confirmed. There were 24 suspected deaths associated with leptospirosis, but only nine were confirmed. Last year’s leptospirosis cases represent a 95 per cent increase over the figures for 2006. But ministry officials explained that drastic increase could be attributed to the fact that the island was also affected by Dengue and Malaria outbreaks which present similar symptoms to leptospirosis.

Meanwhile, Dr Er Ernest Pate, PAHO representative to Jamaica, in a message delivered by Dr Humero Silva, sustainable development advisor at PAHO, noted that his organisation submitted an appeal to ECHO for assistance immediately after the passage of Hurricane Dean for funds to support emergency need in the health sector in Jamaica. The ministry then received a grant of US$498,000 to prevent post disaster outbreaks of vector-borne diseases and to effect emergency repairs to three wards at the Bellevue Hospital.

He said the vector control component of the projects includes the implementation of a rodent and mosquito control and prevention programmes in seven parishes and strengthening of the leptospirosis diagnosis capacity. An estimated 155,000 residents benefited from this intervention.

“The test method being implemented at NPHL and strengthened at CRH will go a far way in enhancing the country’s capacity to respond in timely manner to outbreaks related to disasters and otherwise,” he said. “Strengthening laboratory diagnostic capacity is one of a number of efforts recommended by PAHO/WHO (World Health Organisation) to deal with outbreaks of leptospirosis and we are extremely pleased to collaborate with the with the ministry in this matter.”