SRHA Responds to Urgent Health Needs of Communities Affected by Hurricane Beryl

The Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) has launched a comprehensive response to address the urgent health needs of affected communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which severely impacted several southern parishes on July 3.

The extensive health intervention began in St. Elizabeth on Wednesday, July 10, with a team of 120 health professionals, including public health inspectors, community health aides, health educators, and experts in food safety, vector-borne diseases and water quality.

Visits were made to the hardest-hit areas of the parish, such as Pedro Plains, Southfield, and Treasure Beach, among other surrounding communities, to assess potential health risks and educate residents.

Regional Public Health Specialist for Vector Control, Michael Miles, told JIS News the hurricane’s impact caused significant damage to health centres in Southfield, Junction, and Newell.

He said this has severely limited residents’ access to essential health services as well as increased the risk of the spread of vector-borne diseases.

“So, we have galvanised the team, and we are going to assess the situation by seeing the elderly and babies, assessing food establishments, water and more. There is no electricity, water and persons are displaced,” Mr. Miles noted.

“We are educating persons to sanitise and wash their hands. We also want to protect the water sources to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, and we have been doing larvicidal and adulticidal activities,” he added.

Additionally, the team inspected food establishments, checked rodent infestations and educated persons on proper solid waste disposal. The team also visited high-risk areas such as nursing homes and mortuaries to ensure proper health and safety protocols are being followed.

“We are here to remind them that the SRHA cares, and we are bringing the service to them,” Mr. Miles indicated.

Local residents have expressed appreciation for the SRHA’s efforts. Resident of Pedro Plains, Lola Belle-Montague, highlighted the importance of the health authority’s work in disease prevention and control.

She noted that the hurricane had disrupted regular mosquito control efforts, and welcomed the guidance provided by the health team.

“Health representatives came and looked at my drums, the tanks, tyres and other things that often contain water and mosquito [larvae]. So, what the SRHA is doing today is very important,” Mrs. Belle-Montague said.

The SRHA’s response operation will continue in Manchester on July 11 and Clarendon on July 12.