Westmoreland Health Department Stages Parade to Mark World Mosquito Day

The Westmoreland Health Department, on Wednesday (August 20), staged a parade through the streets of Savanna-la-Mar to mark World Mosquito Day under the theme ‘Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World’.

Vector Control Specialist for Westmoreland, Sasharna Matalie, told JIS News that the event was designed to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases and mobilise community action in eliminating breeding sites.

“We showcased posters with educational material, distributed flyers, and played jingles while we marched through the town centre,” she informed.

Ms. Matalie noted that the initiative is part of the Department’s efforts to lower the parish’s Aedes index. This index represents the percentage of inspected premises within a defined area where active breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is detected, relative to the total number of premises surveyed.

The Aedes mosquito is responsible for the transmission of dengue fever, as well as the Zika and chikungunya viruses.
“Once persons are educated, they will go around their premises to look for mosquito breeding sites. In helping themselves, they are also helping the Health Department and the parish as a whole,” Ms. Matalie said.

Additionally, she informed that residents were reminded of the ‘Four S’s of Vector Control’ during the parade.

“We want to encourage persons to search and destroy breeding sites, support the vector-control team, seek medical attention where needed, and practise self-protection, such as using repellents and wearing long-sleeved clothing,” Ms. Matalie outlined.

For his part, Vector Control Coordinator for Westmoreland, Ryan Morris, welcomed the public’s improved response to the Health Department’s mosquito-prevention interventions, including fogging.

“Persons are now calling, coming by the office, and requesting fogging. That is a plus for us, and we just want the public to continue supporting the vector-control team,” he said.