St James Health Services taking aim at mosquitoes and rats
Published:Friday | May 9, 2025 | 12:11 AMRochelle Clayton/Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
Sherika Lewis, the acting chief public health inspector for St James, is urging members of the public and other stakeholders to join the health department in the fight to keep the parish clean and disease-free amid the ongoing mosquito and rodent infestations.
Lewis made the appeal during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC), where she reported that the parish’s Aedes index is currently at nine per cent.
According to Lewis, 14,000 locations were inspected in April, with 1,300 testing positive for mosquito breeding sites. She went on to say that 51,000 water containers were checked during the visits, and 2,400 of them were rearing mosquitoes.
“I just want to send out an urgent appeal to the citizens of St James to participate with the health department in stemming mosquito breeding in the parish. I also call on the councillors to join with the health department in spreading the message of mosquito control, particularly search and destroy [and] source reduction,” said Lewis.
Lewis also said to the municipal corporation that preparations were being made to sensitise political representatives on the issue to get the messages back to the communities.
“I will also be inviting the councillors to a training session so that you can be properly equipped with the basic knowledge and skills that are needed to spread the message of the importance of mosquito control within our parish,” she said. “We’re coming on to the hurricane season, and we want to continue to be vigilant. So very soon, you’ll be hearing from us, inviting you to a session to educate you on how to educate your citizens in controlling mosquito breeding.”
At the same time, Lewis stated that the health service had identified a rising problem with rat infestation in Montego Bay, saying that 300 food establishments were inspected, and 25 per cent exhibited symptoms of rodents.
“We have to take some focus and stance in rodent control in the parish. We are seeing rodents all over. Complaints are coming into the health department, and I want us to partner in addressing this growing nuisance,” said Lewis in inviting the public’s assistance to address the situation.
“In the main commercial districts within the township, we are seeing proliferation in rodents. Twenty-five per cent of food establishments that have been checked during the month of April have shown evidence of rodents. We should be aware of leptospirosis. We should be aware of other ill effects of rodents in our surroundings. So we want ... to partner in stemming this problem,” she added.
Lewis told the meeting that a private company had expressed an interest in supporting the health department in combating rat infestations. She said that an intervention would be carried out on Labour Day.
“A private pest-control operator has reached out to the health department, and they want to conduct a rodent-control programme in the city. I believe that we’re looking on Charles Gordon Market. However, we want to implore them to extend to other areas such as the Sam Sharpe Square area,” she said.