Health Ministry to Undertake Dengue Prevention Outreach From November 2 to 4

The Ministry of Health and Environment will be undertaking a Dengue Prevention weekend outreach from November 2- 4, as part of efforts to mobilize Jamaicans to quell the surge of vector-borne diseases. Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, told JIS News that over the three-days, health teams, in special T-shirts, will be visiting various areas to increase awareness and prompt persons to take preventative actions to reduce mosquito breeding sites. “We are carrying out a programme of education where we will advise and educate communities as to what the Ministry is doing and why we are doing it and most importantly, to elicit their support in the fight,” he explained. The Minister said that he will be a part of the community outreach to demonstrate to the public that at the highest level of the Ministry, there is serious commitment to rid the country of the problem.”The fight is now on in earnest to ensure that we [the Ministry] protect our citizens,” Mr. Spencer stressed.
Elaborating further on the plans for the special weekend, the Minister informed that on Friday, November 2, the health teams will target schools, to encourage these institutions to participate in dengue prevention measures. “Having school children onboard with us is all in an effort to get the population to have an appreciation of how serious things are,” he pointed out.
On the following two days, the Ministry teams will visit various communities and also solicit the support of community leaders and residents. On November 4, a healthy lifestyle fair will be held at Emancipation Park beginning at 10:00 a.m.
In the meantime, the Minister informed that oiling and fogging are being carried out in selected areas. He noted that a more intense campaign will commence soon and notices will be placed in the media to advise residents when and where fogging will be done, so that the necessary measures can be taken to protect animals and other things.