JLP Caretaker for St. Thomas Eastern, Delano Seiveright, is today urging the Office of the Prime Minister led National Health Emergency Vector Control Clean-up Campaign  in the Eastern end of the island, to place more focus on after-care awareness activities given widespread cases of severe joint pain and several  suspected chikungunya fatalities.

Mr. Seiveright’s call comes against the background of yet another suspected chikungunya related fatality. Ms. Kay-Marie Walters was a 31 year old Teachers College student from St. Thomas who died last week Tuesday. Mr. Seiveright explained that there have been several suspected Chikungunya related fatalities in St. Thomas in recent weeks.

He said that confidence in the Health Minister, Dr. Fenton Ferguson having been long destroyed after his gross mishandling of the crisis, the Office of the Prime Minister's team has to work hard at protecting the health of citizens. He said "There has to be a clear push to rebuild trust with the people of Jamaica, erase persistent misinformation about chikungunya and boost factual awareness about what must still be handled as a deadly public health emergency.

Mr. Seiveright said “As the rate of chikungunya cases decline in St.Thomas, after having had as much as 80 percent of entire districts affected, people must now be educated on how to deal with the after-effects of chikungunya and must be urged to visit a Doctor where they have serious residual effects.”

Mr. Seiveright said “Many people affected by the virus are just becoming aware of underlying medical issues, with too many still not taking these issues seriously, in part because many are still stubbornly unconvinced that they were impacted by a mosquito borne virus.  The government must educate people on the need for after-care to curtail the number of related deaths.”