BOTTOM TOWN, Trelawny – Medical officer of health (MOH) for Trelawny, Dr Marcia Johnson Campbell has expressed satisfaction with the level of participation and co-operation from the residents of this small community, as stakeholders implement several measures aimed at cleaning up harzardous area.

“I think that the people are now motivated and are willing to do what needs to be done to make the place better,” Dr Johnson Campbell told the Observer West yesterday.

Over the last few weeks, stakeholders in Trelawny have been working feverishly to ameliorate the unsatisfactory living conditions that beset Bottom Town’s roughly 1,500 residents.

The deplorable state of the community made news early February, after the Trelawny Health Department warned that the conditions in the densely populated community could lead to an outbreak of infectious diseases, if nothing was done to address the poor conditions there.

Since then, several blocked drains have been cleaned and a massive clean-up of the area was undertaken on March 2, followed by a community forum, three days later.

During the forum presentations were made by several stakeholders including chairman of the Trelawny Parish Council, Colin Gager, member of parliament for the area, Dr Patrick Harris as well as Dr Johnson Campbell.

According to the MOH, during the forum presentations were made on the control of diarrhoeal diseases, garbage disposal, ‘keeping water safe’, and maintaining a healthy community.

“It (the forum) was quite interactive with very good support from the residents. It was really, really good to see people coming out. even the old and the very young,” the MOH emphasised.

She added that the clean-up exercise was also a success, as scores of residents turned out to give their surroundings a much-needed facelift.

Plans are also well advanced to stage a health fair on a recently bushed open lot in the community, on March 31.

Activities for the day will include screening for diseases and HIV by a team from the health department and presentations from representatives of the Ministry of Labour who will, among other things disseminate information on the Government’s PATH programme.

Representatives from the Social Development Commission and the National Youth Service will also be on hand to provide information on issues such as employment opportunities.