SRHA Intensifies Malaria Control Programme in St. Elizabeth

The Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has intensified the malaria control programme in St. Elizabeth, especially on the coast.
Chief Public Health Inspector for the parish, Lester Beharie informed JIS News that the control programme, which began in December 2006, “is continuing, as we are treating existing breeding sites and searching for new sites”. “The coastline areas that we are dealing with include Great Bay, Calabash Bay, Sandy Bank, Billy’s Bay, Bluntas, Parottee, Spice Grove, Arlington,Vineyard, Black River, Hodges, Crawford, Galleon, Dalintober and Font Hill,” he outlined.
Mr. Beharie said the programme involved the elimination of larvae and adult mosquitoes, oiling stagnant water, thermal fogging and spraying. “We have intensified our control operations, in that we are doing more fogging and oiling, which we do at shorter intervals. Every seven days we will repeat our cycle,” he pointed out.
Mr. Beharie explained that it was standard procedure that whenever an affected area is identified, fogging is done for three consecutive nights and repeated at seven-day intervals, “which is what we have been doing in Great Bay, where malaria cases have been confirmed”.
He explained that the illness is treatable, and is appealing to “anyone coming down with any symptoms associated with the disease, to visit the health centre, a private doctor or the nearest hospital, especially if they are experiencing fever”.
“We are also appealing to householders to get rid of any mosquito breeding places,” he stressed. Mr. Beharie told JIS News that he is also urging residents to open their doors and windows when fogging is being done. “However, when spraying is not being carried out, persons should close their doors and windows before it becomes dark, as the type of mosquito which carries the disease gets very active at that time,” he said.