Health and Local Government Ministries to Meet to Ramp up Action Against Dengue
By: , December 15, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Okoye Henry
Councillors participating in the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in Falmouth, on Thursday, December 12. The meeting was addressed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (right), addresses the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, in Falmouth, on Thursday (December 12). Listening is Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Colin Gager.The Facts
- He argued that while the Government and the local authorities are doing the best they can to stem the dengue outbreak, the public needs to demonstrate greater responsibility and interest in destroying mosquito breeding sites.
- Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that is usually an illness in which a person may get a fever, headache, joint and muscle pains. The fever is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and symptoms of the disease typically begin three to 14 days after infection.
The Full Story
The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development will be convening a meeting with the Ministry of Health and Wellness on December 27, to outline further steps to be taken in the fight against dengue.
Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, made the announcement while speaking at Thursday’s (December 12) Monthly Meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in Falmouth.
The Minister noted that the inter-ministerial meeting will involve Mayors and Councillors and other local authorities.
He emphasised that the dengue outbreak must be treated with great urgency and will require all hands on deck.
“We don’t want to disrupt the Christmas for the Mayors and the CEOs, but we are planning to bring all of them into Kingston on December 27 to the meeting with the Ministry of Health and Wellness,” Mr. McKenzie said.
“I am urging all of you to treat this matter with some level of urgency,” the Minister added.
Mr. McKenzie said it is important for Councillors to step up sensitisation efforts in their respective divisions.
He argued that while the Government and the local authorities are doing the best they can to stem the dengue outbreak, the public needs to demonstrate greater responsibility and interest in destroying mosquito breeding sites.
“No amount of money, no amount of noise that we can make can help us to fight this dengue, unless a disciplined approach is taken,” he said.
“So, it is important for Councillors to sensitise your divisions. Talk to the people in your divisions about helping to eradicate dengue, because while we can provide resources where it is possible, the greater resource that is needed is for an appreciation of what we are facing,” the Minister added.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that is usually an illness in which a person may get a fever, headache, joint and muscle pains. The fever is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and symptoms of the disease typically begin three to 14 days after infection.