The ministry of health (MOH) is being overwhelmed by the presence of the Chikungunya in Dominica, according to health minister Julius Timothy.
In an address to mark Vaccination Week, being observed locally and in the Americas, the health minister said disease will “be with us for a while.”
“Presently the ministry of health is being overwhelmed by the presence of of the Chikungunya virus. This is a not a vaccine preventable disease,” he warned.
Presently close to 100 cases of the disease have been confirmed in Dominica with over 800 reported cases.
Timothy lamented the fact that there are some people in Dominica who are saying the disease is not spread by mosquitoes.
“They must stop it,” he said. “This is not the first country where the disease has occurred.”
He pointed to the Reunion Islands where an outbreak occurred in 2003 and stated there have been thousand of cases in the neighboring French islands.
“Therefore we must be aware that whatever we do, Chikungunya is going to be with us for a while,” he sated.
The health minister noted that government “will continue to do whatever it takes to bring the situation under control” but warned that citizens must play their part in the disease containment.
“We Dominicans must take care of our own health by reducing breeding areas for mosquitoes, we must launch war on mosquitoes,” Timothy stated.
Chikungunya is spread by the Aedes Egypti mosquito.
No deaths have been reported as a result of the disease in Dominica.
and by the way get yourselves and your children vaccinated against everything you can
why would a leader/minister assure us that the disease will be with us for a long time? should he not be saying that we are doing all in our power to get rid of it?……should he not be telling us what they as a ministry is doing to eradicate it…….
hmmmmm well they there is a saying that goes ‘you get what you pay for’
all i am saying is thank god this man left the uwp… what a disaster that woulda been for the party
the mosquito is infected in labs then released in the air.The female mosquito is the key player.Biological warfare world is what it is.New world war 3 strategies,lab created plague viruses to release on mankind.
Too little, too late. 48 % of the populace are already infected. Is only a matter of time that the rest get infected. Come election day they will not be able to move. After you have done all your zazi musi registrations, you suddenly remember chikungunya.
Be wise people
Some Dominicans are really ignorant its a shame to see how My people are ignorant they mix everything with politics its a shame.they behave the same way the Africans did when aids came baddie, and millions died, just by denying the reality of how it is spread, so wake up Dominicans and clean up ur surroundings of old cars and tiers what ever collects stagnant Water other wise that disease will be here to stay
We can only get control of this Chikungunya outbreak if we do the following:
1)We must go an a mass mosquito eradication campaign inspecting every home on the island with a view to identifying the breeding foci and treating or eliminating them.
2) We mst go on a mass public education campaign targeting the schools and the public, using all the radio stations, the print media and television and holding public community meetings around the island.
3) Go on a mass source reduction or clean up campaign drive collecting and getting rid of all the articles which normally breed mosquitoes.
This is how we can control Chikungunya Fever:
1) By recalling the Vector Control team that was outsourced and adding another contingent of officers and let them operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Health to do house to house inspections.
2) Environmental Health and Dominica Solid Waste Corporation , City and Village councils must collaborete to facilitate the clean up campaigns.
3) Ministry of Health must obtain more insecticides and mosquito control insecticide application equipment to be used in the control of larval and adult stages of mosquitoes.
4) The responsible authorities must invoke the Litter Act, the Mosquito Control Regulations, and the Solid Waste Management Regulations and start prosecuting people for breeding mosquitoes.
I may not be an expert but if these little suggestions are taken into consideration, we could drasticalloy reduce the number of reported and confirmed cases of the disease.
Resubmitted to correct typing mistakes.
We can only get control of this Chikungunya outbreak if we do the following:
1)We must go an a mass mosquito eradication campaign, inspecting every home on the island with a view to identifying the breeding foci and treating or eliminating them.
2) We must go on a mass public education campaign targeting the schools and the public, using all the radio stations, the print media and television and holding public community meetings around the island.
3) Go on a mass source reduction or clean up campaign drive collecting and getting rid of all the articles which normally breed mosquitoes.
This is how we can control Chikungunya Fever:
1) By recalling the Vector Control team that was outsourced and adding another contingent of officers and let them operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Health to do house to house inspections.
2) Environmental Health and Dominica Solid Waste Corporation , City and Village councils must collaborate to facilitate the clean up campaigns.
3) Ministry of Health must obtain more insecticides and mosquito control insecticide application equipment to be used in the control of larval and adult stages of mosquitoes.
4) The responsible authorities must invoke the Litter Act, the Mosquito Control Regulations, and the Solid Waste Management Regulations and start prosecuting people for breeding mosquitoes.
I may not be an expert but if these little suggestions are taken into consideration, we could drastically reduce the number of reported and confirmed cases of the disease.
Garcon mi debarr!
In your quest for correctness,you have failed abysmally!On my keyboard, the letters ‘O’ and ‘A’ are far apart. Also you should remember the lessons learnt from the “Student Companion”, regarding grammar!
So please re-submit after checking and correcting! Sort!!
I am very disappointed by the attitude of the Minister to this disease….This is a serious disease that is ravaging the country and he is taking a hands off approach to it. The country is infested with mosquitoes and there is no serious drive to control it. Only once some spraying was done in Castle Comfort and some other communities have never been sprayed.
Mr. Minister …do you know that a lot of elderly persons are suffering silently in their homes from his disease? I know of several…Those with other conditions such as diabetes are messing on themselves. Or simply cannot get off their beds in time to reach the toilets. You people do not know the full extent of the impact of the disease because a lot of people do not bother to report it.. This is a shame on the Minister and the Health System for not spraying regularly. Other islands are doing so and controlling the mosquito population…Instead of giving out galvanize and plywood, spend some money to clean up and spray down the country. Remember one can control the mosquito in their home but it cans still enter form 50 ft away..It is a shame on this government. God forbid if a disease such a malaria hits us …
Can someone let us know what exactly the Chief officer is proposing to the World Health Organisation in seeking aid/assistance for Dominica in its efforts to combat the fight against Chikungunya. The Chief Environmental Officer, Anthony Scotland needs to move on this fast – things are very serious and may well impact on Tourism particularly the long summer holidays when many from the UK and the USA descend on the island for that long awaited break from City life!
There needs to be mass communication and action in general environmental matters, re education of good practice in taking responsibility for ones own ‘back yard’, proper disposable and sanitation. Everyone needs to take responsibility for waste disposal and garbage. Currently in Scott’s Head some folk think nothing of continually using a stand alone pipes for bathing (themselves in the full view of passing folk)- despite a government sign instructing that the pipes are not for such purpose! An exposed open drain carries garbage that has been carelessly dumped in it – yes garbage in a drain – the liquids that do manage to rush down the drain carrying garbage until the flow is halted in the direct path of individual homes! Yes I can believe this is probably common practice in many villages. But this has to STOP … People must wake up and take responsibility for their actions.
The fabulous efforts of the Goodwill neighbours need to be established across the island. Well done to them and all credit to the writer of the Dr Christian article.
Dear Toma,
I wish you could share scientific evidence with us with respect to chikungunya virus transmission via other than mosquito. Please see below some scientific studies that are published in scientific journal (for your knowledge) indicating disease is spread by mosquitoes only –
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3085104/
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/6/942.abstract
http://vir.sgmjournals.org/content/88/9/2363
“Presently close to 100 cases of the disease have been confirmed in Dominica with over 800 reported cases”
DNO, I don’t get it…..
The other 800 cases have not been confirmed, meaning that the patients have all the signs and symptoms of the virus, however either no blood test was taken or the results of the testing hasn’t been completed to positively say that it is in fact the chikungunya virus
Confirmed means that they have taken blood samples and it has been tested in a Lab. Suspected means that based on the reported symptoms the health practitioner Identify it as chikungunya but no lab test. The fact is Dominica is too overwhelmed by the cases to be doing lab test and the actually cases are way above 1500 when you factor the unreported cases.
Timothy, well, well, well you good late. All the time we were asking you to speak, you were busy registering new voters and organizing your campaign. You forgot us, now you’re coming at midnight. Oh brother! Speak to the hand.
that is not no mosquitos …its a plague..
If the MOH is serious about controlling the spread of Chikungunya then they must invest in Oxitec’s genetically modified mosquitoes to breed with female Aedes Aegypti to eradicate the Aedes Mosquitoes. The GM Mosquitoes cause the offspring of female Aedes to die before reaching Maturity.
The UK uses it and most recently Brazil has agreed to the use of these mosquitoes to wipe out the Aedes Aegypti.
Come on Minister, make use of this opportunity while its most opportune to do so.
Julius Timothy alive? I thought he had resigned as Minister of Health. So long chikungunya mashing up Dominica now he speaking. He put his political survival before the health of the people. Mr. Timothy you should be ashame of making a statement now. Based on the way you did not lead on this chikungunya epidemic you should resign. Timothy must go.
The ministry of Health must also work closely with the Roseau City Council and please tackle the problem with mechanics leaving old vehicles on the street sides. It poses many problems including the notorious mosquito breeding grounds and driving and parking is also a hindrance. These old vehicles should be moved from the streets in lanes where they can be found.
Its not nooooooo mosquito, there is more to this virus than we know.
Chikungunya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chikungunya
Classification and external resources
2012-01-09 Chikungunya on the right feet at The Philippines.jpeg
Rash from Chikungunya on the right foot
ICD-10 A92.0
ICD-9 065.4, 066.3
DiseasesDB 32213
MeSH D018354
Chikungunya (in the Makonde language “that which bends up”) virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus, of the genus Alphavirus, that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes.[1] There have been recent breakouts of CHIKV associated with severe illness.
CHIKV infection causes an illness with a similar mode of transmission as dengue fever, with an acute febrile phase lasting two to five days, followed by a longer period of joint pains in the extremities. The pain associated with CHIKV infection of the joints may persist for weeks or months, or in some cases years.[2][3] Prevention is via mosquito control and preventing bite by infected mosquitoes.[4] There is no specific treatment with medications used to help with symptoms.[4]
p.s the online encyclopedia is free.EDUCATE yourself and stop repeating nonsense that you hear.
its not spread by mosquitos and you know that mister minister
You must stop propagating false message of ‘chikungunya spread by other than mosquitoes’.
Disease is spread by mosquito and you (public) can stop breeding mosquito in your premises, hence you (public) can stop spreading disease.
Stop spreading disease!!!
I can’t imagine some persons are giving you thumbs up for that foolishness.
If the disease is not spread by mosquitoes then I dare you to tell the public what you know about the cause of the disease or otherwise shut your mouth.