Residents of St. Elizabeth Benefit from Malaria Outreach Programme

Residents of St. Elizabeth are benefiting from a massive malaria prevention outreach programme, conducted by the St. Elizabeth Health Department.
The programme began on December 8, with information sessions held in 21 schools, 10 churches, six health centres and other venues.
Health Education Officer for St. Elizabeth, Delphene Grandison, told JIS News that, “we have been working in the schools, trying to reach them before they had gone on holidays.”
She informed that schools reached include Mayfield All-age, Pedro Plains and Sandy Bank Primary Schools in Treasure Beach. “We also did Parattee Primary, Fullerswood and Hopewell Primary schools . and those are in areas where we have ponds,” she added.
Mrs. Grandison informed that the information sessions were conducted with the assistance of community peer educators and “people were delighted to get the message; some were even saying that they were not aware that you had different types of mosquitoes and they had learnt a lot.”
She noted that children have been given flyers and brochures to take home to their parents, while public health inspectors have been in the field informing residents about malaria and how to keep their communities clean, as well as to look out for potential breeding sites.
As part of the outreach programme, fogging and larvicidal activities have been conducted in Great Bay, Calabash Bay, Billy’s Bay, Sandy Bank, Bluntas, Arlington, among other communities in Treasure Beach. She informed that public health inspectors were now working in Black River and they would be moving on to other areas.
She told JIS News that “as soon as the Christmas break is over, we will be moving on to our other programmes”.In the meantime, the Health Education Officer is encouraging residents of the parish to keep their surroundings clean by looking for areas where water might settle, covering drums, and properly disposing of old tyres, tins and garbage.