KINGSTON, Jamaica —Opposition Spokesperson on Health, Dr Alfred Dawes, is raising concerns about Jamaica’s ability to accurately detect and track leptospirosis cases amid reports of rising infections following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Dr Dawes was speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. The medical doctor questioned whether the Ministry of Health and Wellness currently has the capacity to confirm cases in a timely manner, citing that a multifaceted approach is needed.

“Early testing helped in COVID and anyone with a passing knowledge of medicine understands that the earlier you intervene in a disease the better the outcome as well as the less likelihood you will have long term complication,” he said, noting that without widespread diagnostic tools, the reported 11 confirmed cases may not reflect the true scale of infections.

He also called for the deployment of rapid testing kits to affected communities, arguing that easier access to antibody testing would help doctors determine whether the symptoms they are treating are linked to leptospirosis.

“Are we testing enough? Are we missing cases?” he pressed, adding that in the event of a national outbreak, the country must be prepared to ramp up testing to deliver faster and more reliable results.

According to Dr Dawes, medical missions and community health partnerships are also facing challenges on the ground. He stressed that the country needs a structured plan rather than what he described as “knee-jerk reactions” to public health threats.

The Opposition spokesperson further suggested that Jamaica should seek technical support from Cuba, citing the country’s strong environmental health surveillance systems. He noted that Cuba’s hands-on approach could strengthen Jamaica’s response efforts.

“The conditions exist and they will continue to exist for a while so we must plan accordingly. We cannot wait until we see a spike in cases and then we have a knee-jerk reaction…let us call on the Cubans for help. They have a very good system where they look at the environmental factors,” he explained.

On the matter of mental health, Dr Dawes is urging the Government to provide mental health support for the people badly affected.

“We must have interventions coupled with the physiological effects, psychiatrist getting involved, this must be complemented by tangible improvement in their lives so you give the people hope,” he said.