PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Portland Health Department’s rodent control campaign has hit a major snag — limited funding. However the education programme has started in schools, and baiting at Errol Flynn Marina will start shortly according to Dr Sharon Lewis, the parish’s medical officer for health.

Dr Lewis made the revelation during the Portland Municipal Corporation meeting last Thursday.

“The public health team is disappointed with the limited funds received to support the programme so far; we are running out of time for its institution. We desire to complete the baiting before mid-July as at that time some personnel from various organisations, including ours, are likely to be on vacation and in August many persons will be focused on back-to-school operations. The full complement of persons to complement the baiting exercise will be available up to early July but [their presence] cannot be guaranteed after that,” Dr lewis said.

LEWIS… the public health team is disappointed with the limited funds received to support the programme so far

“I wish to commend the Port Authority of Jamaica for the commitment and show of support for their donation to the Portland Municipal Corporation towards the programme nearly two months ago. The Portland Health Department wishes to honour that commitment by ensuring the baiting of the port within the next few weeks. We are in the process of adjusting the rodent control programme to have public education sessions at the Errol Flynn Marina over the next couple of weeks, to be followed shortly after by the baiting and re-baiting exercise,” she told the meeting.

“When more funding is provided the wider Port Antonio community will receive more public education sessions and baiting. The chief public health inspector, Mr [Lorenzo] Hume, and I will further have dialogue with key stakeholders from the Portland Municipal Corporation towards this end, and this will be followed by another stakeholders’ meeting next week where the adjusted schedule will be shared,” she stated.

In February the health department presented a $16.2-million budget for a rodent control programme in three major towns — Port Antonio, Buff Bay, and Manchioneal — in the parish.

The funds were needed for bait, baiting stations, source reduction activities such as trucking, town hall meetings, labour costs, media publicity, literature, food and refreshment, and a few other miscellaneous items, according to Public Health Inspector Samuel Roberts.