International group gives govt advice on dengue control
By SANCHESKA BROWN
tribune242
Nassau, The Bahamas
THE Pan-American Heath Organisation has made recommendations to the government on how to best control and eliminate the dengue outbreak in the Bahamas.
PAHO representatives have been in New Providence for about two weeks working with officials from the ministries of the environment and health to map out the way forward.
Dr Gerry Eykemans, PAHO representative for the Bahamas, said we are not alone in the fight against dengue fever - there are currently ten other Caribbean countries with dengue fever outbreaks.
Dr Eykemans said there needs to be some environmental and health interventions.
"The Ministry needs to fog twice a day," he said. "There needs to be enhanced surveillance and increased health access, meaning clinic hours need to be extended and opened over the weekends.
"We also recommend health education promotion, with messages crafted in such a way to effect change in the action of the population, and the government needs to form campaigns to eliminate breeding sites that involve schools and community organisations to reduce mosquito population and dengue cases."
In response, the government is launching its "Fight the Bite" campaign.
According to Health Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, the campaign is targeted toward schools and communities.
Dr Minnis said: "We are embarking on educational programmes in schools. We will go into the various schools throughout the Bahamas to inform people on how they can best assist the government in this fight. We cannot do this alone. We need the public's support. Fogging will only help if people do what they are supposed to around their homes. It only takes seven days for an egg to hatch into a full breeding adult. So we are working along with the Department of Environment, Bahamas Waste and Rotary to pass out leaflets and hold seminars so the public can be best informed on how they can help."
Dr Robert Lee, health disaster advisor, also made the following recommendations: "The Bahamas needs to improve surveillance, data analysis and use of data, embark in aggressive preventative measures in the Family Islands, assess the effectiveness of the insecticides in use and strengthening the monitoring of impact of fogging activities by tracking mosquito populations.
"In the long run the government needs to ensure continuous water supply to all houses to prevent people from collecting water in their backyard. Review dengue prevention and control programmes annually and involve the whole population preventing mosquito breeding."
Since coming to the Bahamas, PAHO has confirmed one type of dengue which is "type one."
There also has been one confirmed dengue death. The Ministry of Health is investigating two other deaths. They do not expect those results soon.
PAHO representatives have also confirmed that reported dengue cases have been declining over the past few weeks and the number of dengue fever-like cases are predominately from eastern and southeastern communities.
Ministry of Health officials estimate the number of cases going to health care facilities will top 4,000 by the end of this week. Last week's count stood at 3,300.
Dr Minnis is asking the public to take ten minutes once a week to walk around and get rid of or seal any containers that hold water.
Each resident is being asked to take responsibility to make sure there are no mosquitoes growing in their yards.
September 10, 2011
tribune242
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