Cabinet Approves Additional $111M to Continue Dengue Eradication

Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says Cabinet has approved an additional $111 million to continue the Ministry’s dengue eradication programme across the island.

Speaking to journalists in Black River, St. Elizabeth, on Friday (Nov. 9), following a tour of health institutions in the parish, Dr. Ferguson informed that Cabinet has taken a decision to approve the sum which will be spent “between now and the 31st of January (2013)”, to “ramp up” the response mechanism to the dengue outbreak.

“The focus of that sum will be on destruction of breeding sites, fogging, and public education. I beg of residents and the people of Jamaica, to play your role in fighting this outbreak. It requires of you to ensure that around your households, backyards-where we have tyres, containers and other things that could contain water, that we give special attention to that,” the Minister said.

He pointed out that Ministry officials have placed much effort and focus on areas along the island’s South Coast, to deal with any eventualities which could arise consequent on the spread of mosquito-borne diseases from persons travelling from the Americas. He urged persons who suspect that they have contracted dengue, to refrain from using certain types of medication.

“Stay away from some specific types of anti- inflammatory medication that could worsen their situations. Stay more on paracetamol,” the Minister advised.

Speaking at last week’s Jamaica House media briefing, Director of Emergency Disaster Management and Special Services in the Ministry, Dr. Marion Bullock Ducasse reported a reduction in new cases of dengue.

“We have looked at our cases and up to the week ending October 27, we are reporting 2,448 clinically suspected dengue cases of which 404 were laboratory confirmed. We are watching these figures very closely, because for that week…we only had reports of 250 new clinically suspected cases. The week prior to that, it was at 488,” she informed.