| TCI gets advice on mosquito, dengue control |
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| Friday, 21 October 2011 10:30 | |||
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A consultant for the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization recently visited the Turks and Caicos Islands to review and advise the country on its programme to control mosquitos and mosquito-borne diseases. Vibert Stroom was invited by Dr. Rufus Ewing, director of Health Services within the Ministry of Health and Human Services, to assess the country’s Vector Control Programme. A disease such as dengue fever that is transmitted to humans or other animals by an insect or other arthropod is called a vector-borne disease. Stroom visited all the inhabited islands and worked closely with the Environmental Health Department. He reviewed the operation of the vector control unit, assessed its readiness for the prevention and control of dengue fever within the islands, and plans to provide guidelines in improving the department programme, where necessary. The visit also included field inspections in communities within the islands. Stroom also met with the staff involved in vector control and held discussions with the head of department on his findings. Chief Environmental Health Officer Lorne Robinson said Stroom’s forthcoming advice and any recommendations would help the vector control programme. “In the Ministry of Health, we are truly appreciative of the Pan American Health Organisation for proving technical assistance in the area of Vector Control which will go a long way in improving our mosquito control programmes,” Ewing said. “It will help immensely in preventing an increase in the mosquito population, and in the prevention of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.” A handful of cases of dengue fever have been detected in the TCI in people who travelled here from other countries. Not all mosquitoes in the TCI can transmit dengue, which is spread only by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden fever with headache, muscle and severe joint pains and rash. Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness that can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children.
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| Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 June 2012 16:56 |
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