Health Minister says There is No Outbreak of Dengue

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, has assured that despite reports, there is currently no outbreak of dengue fever on the island.

Dr. Tufton was addressing the official launch of the Compassionate Care Programme, at the Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, on Thursday (June 27).

“Since January of this year when we had the dengue outbreak, when it peaked, we have seen a steady decline over those months into May of this year, when we had the last monthly data, which was below outbreak status or threshold… so there is no dengue outbreak,” the Minister emphasised.

“From the Ministry’s perspective, we have been on alert in terms of ensuring that we monitor and respond to the trends,” he added.

The Minister said that during the hurricane season, the Government will be embarking on a number of programmes, including a public education initiative, to raise awareness about mosquito breeding sites.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for the spread of the dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tufton said that under the Compassionate Care Programme, public health staff across the island should ensure that patients who visit the facilities are the top priority.

“I want us in public health who are providing a service, to see our patients as the absolute most important aspect of what we do. We are trained to serve; we are not trained to be served,” the Minister stressed.

The Compassionate Care Programme is geared towards enhancing the psychological wellness of patients within the public health system as a means of promoting speedy recovery.

The programme comprises several components, including the training of staff in customer service, improvement of basic infrastructure, and boosting voluntarism to aid the delivery of compassionate care.