An Environmental Team, from the Health Protection Department, well-versed and trained in the danger of disease pests, has been busily engaged in a series of awareness visits to the primary schools in Anguilla.
From June 6 – 21, the health workers have been cautioning children about the danger of mosquitoes, rodents and other disease-carrying pests, explaining how they are being controlled or eliminated to safeguard the wellbeing of the island.
The team, led by Mr. Lesroy Lake, Environmental Health Officer and Supervisor of the Vector Control Programme, comprised Mr. Alex Fleming, Senior Vector Control Officer; and Ms. Icilma Morton, Shandette Carty and Mr. Keane Connor, Vector Control Officers. The environmental health workers took to the schools special containers of clear and brown water demonstrating ades egypti and culex mosquitoes as well as sand granule abate and rodent red-block bait, to explain the various aspects of their work.
Mr. Lake, who holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Public Health from Middlesex University in the United Kingdom, spoke to The Anguillian about the work of his team.
“Our aim has been to educate the primary school students in Grades 4 to 6 as we build a stronger pest-free community,” he explained. “The theme of our project was ‘Let us build a pest-free community’ aimed at providing a better understanding of the pests in Anguilla, especially mosquitoes, which are spreading diseases like dengue, zika and chikungunya. We have seen that there is an increase in cases not only in Anguilla, but throughout the Caribbean region, becoming what may be an endemic concern.
“Basically, we want to get children in Grades 4 – 6, the younger community, more involved in eliminating these pests. In the past, the focus has been on fogging every time there is an increase of mosquitoes in Anguilla. We are now more looking at where they are breeding to achieve source reduction or elimination. We have also started a bulk waste programme where we are removing old refrigerators, old cars, and any other bulk stuff, free of charge.
“We have been educating the children about what mosquito larvae look like. It is a four cycle comprising the egg, larvae, pupa and the adult mosquito. In fogging, we get rid of the adult mosquito, but 3 – 5 days later, we see the same quantity of mosquitoes again. We are therefore focussing on removing containers that can catch water and allow the breeding of mosquitoes. We are also looking at how we can clean up homes, premises, to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, rats, roaches and other pests.”
Mr. Lake continued: “In the schools, we spoke about the importance of regular mosquito control and the simple steps that can be taken to reduce mosquitoes in Anguilla. We look at the type of equipment the Department of Health Protection uses to get rid of mosquitoes. We took to the schools bait for rats; and abate a sand granule of 99% sand and one percent chemical for use in water which the mosquito larvae feed on and die. We showed the children fish we use as biological control agents which we put into cisterns to eat the larvae, thereby disturbing the breeding cycle of the pests from the larvae to the adult mosquito. In addition, we carried pumps used to spray termites, roaches, ants, fleas, centipedes etc. We find that a lot of persons are fooled into believing that spraying their premises would kill rodents. It doesn’t work. You will have to set rat bait which we sell at the Department of Health Protection. We also took to the schools hand-held fogging equipment to give the children first-hand information and even to practice using it.”
Mr. Lake added that the awareness programme was not only for the schoolchildren, but was intended to reach the adult population of the island as well.
