VECTOR control coordinator at the St Elizabeth Health Department, Michael Myles, says the Vector Control Unit has ramped up activities to destroy mosquito-breeding sites and to educate residents in the parish about the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Speaking to JIS News, Myles said the department has intensified its health education campaign in communities across the parish, especially those that are high risk, by way of youth clubs, churches and other community-based organisations.

“We are also monitoring all town centres and markets in the parish and have carried out larvicidal activities, which destroy mosquito larvae, and adulticidal activities, which is the fogging of an area to kill adult mosquitoes in the parish’s townships,” Myles said.

He also noted that plans are in place to engage schools and businesses to aid in the dissemination of health education material regarding vector control.

Myles pointed out that once the department receives notification of any suspected cases of dengue, “these are investigated in a timely manner, and the necessary actions are taken by our workers to destroy breeding sites in the communities from which those persons originate”.

He added that tyre shops and garages in the parish are being heavily monitored to ensure that there are no mosquito-breeding sites.

“These areas are being monitored weekly to ensure that tyres are removed because they are suitable breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito,” Myles said.

He assured that the unit is determined to destroy as many breeding sites as possible, even going as far as helping residents to secure their water supply by distributing water drum covers to residents.

Myles said that through the Ministry of Health’s partnership with other governmental agencies in the parish, there are plans to further bolster vector control efforts in the coming weeks.

“We have partnered with the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, the National Works Agency, as well as the Social Development Commission, to do drain cleaning and to remove bulk waste from several communities,” he informed.

Myles said residents have been reacting positively to the unit’s efforts. “Persons are taking the necessary precautions, following the necessary instructions on flyers that we have given out, and other information passed on by our workers. Going through the communities, we can see the changes, and, hopefully, this is maintained, because we emphasise in our education campaign that personal responsibility is key,” Myles told JIS News.