Health Minister calls on populace to be more health conscious

Sep 20, 2010 News

NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Region Six expended some $3M in fogging exercises so far this year. Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha said the last exercise was held in August in areas along the Lower Corentyne but yet still residents continue to complain. The Administration conducted a massive fogging exercise in all areas of the Region this year which helped in reducing the problem.
The mosquito problem is more evident during the heavy rainfall. The money to conduct the exercises was taken from the Region’s Maintenance Budget for Extermination Services. The Chairman noted that several discarded containers and other receptacles store water which act as a breeding ground for the mosquitoes.
He said the Region needs chemicals to operate the machine. In August, Region Six expended almost $250,000 on chemicals alone. There are other costs attached such as the payment for those on the team and operational cost for the vehicle that transports the fogging machine.
He said discarded garbage in many instances end up clogging drains and canals and this contributes to the mosquito nuisance and flooding as well.
The Chairman said this is becoming a burden since the Administration must use scarce resources to rid the communities of mosquitoes and other vectors. “The people must stop dumping their garbage in an irresponsible manner.”
He said in all three of the Municipalities and many of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils there are garbage collection systems but only in some cases persons make use of it.
Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy appealed to all citizens to be more conscious of their environment and recognise the need to preserve its aesthetics. According to the Minister, persons recklessly dispose of refuse without considering the effects. These comments came in the wake of an allegation made by a resident of the Williamsburg area last week. The woman spoke of the need for fogging in her community in order to eradicate the mosquito nuisance. According to her, her child became ill as a result of the mosquito nuisance and was said to have contracted typhoid and traces of salmonella.
After clearing the air that typhoid tests are not done in Guyana, Minister Ramsammy stated that poor disposal of waste contributes to poor health. Vermin and the like thrive on such surroundings.
This year Government presented the Region Six Administration with a fogging machine. The cost to effectively use this equipment can run from $1 million to $3 million per month.
Earlier this year, Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran had said that dealing with the mosquito nuisance calls for the co-operation of all stakeholders. This would boost whatever methods would be undertaken by the Regional Administration, municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils. The fogging exercise is only a part of the strategy to eradicate mosquitoes, and other vectors. The public is urged to keep their surroundings free of receptacles which could encourage the breeding of mosquitoes and other unwanted agents. Another line of attack in dealing with the mosquito nuisance is to extend the campaign to schools where students would be groomed to act as agents of change in order to promote the importance of a clean and safe environment.
The Health Ministry had also distributed a quantity of heavy duty spray cans across East Berbice/Corentyne and other locations throughout the country according to the need.

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Health Minister calls on populace to be more health conscious

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