Opposition says Gov't didn't do enough to control mosquito population

The Parliamentary Opposition is urging Jamaicans to comply with all bulletins issued by the health ministry in light of the dengue outbreak, while at the same time chiding the authorities for not doing enough to minimise mosquito breeding sites.

Opposition spokesman on health Dr Morais Guy said with the increased rainfall in recent weeks the conditions are conducive to mosquito breeding across the island.

“It is regrettable that the National Solid Waste Management Authority did not use the drought period to increase public cleansing activities. Neither did the authorities do drain cleaning and river training in a consistent manner", Guy said.

He's appealing to Jamaicans to immediately begin cleaning and clearing their yards and communities of debris, in particular old cans and tyres which collect water and become prime breeding containers for the aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of the dengue fever virus.

Describing the current situation as an "uphill battle to be fought", Guy called for the Government to fast track the implementation of a national response through mosquito spraying and other vector control measures to mitigate the situation as quickly as possible.

He noted the decision of the ministry of health to extend the opening hours of clinics, effective Monday, October 2, but urged that the date be brought forward to September 25, in light of the declaration of an outbreak.

He said this would ensure that the outbreak does not become unmanageable.

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