JMDA President: Unite to fight Chick V

Dr. Alfred Dawes, President of  the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association (JMDA) is recommending that forces need to be joined in order for the country to effectively tackle Chikungunya and other viruses. He says the current polarity in the political and social landscape is hampering rather than helping the fight.

 

Since the increase in confirmed and suspected cases of Chikungunya, there has been tremendous debate about the matter.

 

Dr Dawes, speaking on RJR's Beyond the Headlines on Tuesday, declared that collaboration is the best weapon. He noted that this was the approach used by Jamaica to rid the country of Yellow Fever and Malaria when everyone came together to destroy the breeding sites for the mosquitoes.

Meanwhile, the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO, is reporting that at least 113 people have died in the region after becoming infected with the Chikungunya virus. However, it was not clear if the deaths were directly attributable to the virus.  

 

In its latest report, which includes figures as of  September 12, PAHO confirmed 55 deaths linked to the virus in Martinique. Forty-nine deaths were reported in Guadeloupe, six in the Dominican Republic and three in St. Martin.  

 

The Puerto Rican Health Department is investigating whether two recent deaths were related to the virus. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says 644,686 suspected and 9,640 confirmed Chikungunya cases have been reported in the region as of  September 8.