By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

INNER-CITY residents have a greater risk of contracting diseases transmitted by insects and other organisms, according to health officials, who yesterday marked the 2014 World Health Day under the theme “Vector-borne diseases: small bite, big threat”.

PAHO country representative Dr Gerry Eijkemans explained it was critical for densely populated areas, specifically over-the-hill communities, to remain proactive as the chikungunya viral outbreak continues to threaten the region.

Dr Eijkemans, the Pan American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) country representative for the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, said: “In areas where you have more people living more closely together, maybe the conditions are not so good and people are storing water. 

“You have a much higher chance of outbreaks than areas where it’s well maintained and spread out. And this is the poor areas, everywhere in the world the bulk of the diseases are in the areas where you have more densely populated and less affluent.”

She said: “In the case of the region and the Caribbean, dengue fever is one of the biggest challenges that we are having, but now there is also chikungunya. It is very likely there is an outbreak in the Dominican Republic.”

Chikungunya is a virus that spreads through bites from the same host mosquito that transmits dengue fever and yellow fever.

Symptoms of the illness include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash.

There were 205 confirmed cases of dengue fever in 2011 and 7,200 suspected cases.

Confirmed cases were first reported in July, peaking in August when health officials reported an average of 100 new cases of suspected dengue fever a day, with patients predominantly from the eastern and southeastern communities of New Providence, according to health statistics.

In an interview with The Tribune last month, Dr Eijkemans noted that data on the dengue fever outbreak indicated hot spot areas also had the highest prevalence of HIV, violence and childhood obesity.

Dr Eijkemans made the revelation as she called for greater inclusion of the health sector at a citizen security workshop hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank.

She also underscored the need for a comprehensive strategy to jointly address the health and social ills that plague communities known to be criminal hot-spots. 

Yesterday, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre hosted a multi-agency workshop on preventative measures against vector-borne diseases to observe World Health Day 2014. The centre partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO); PAHO; Department of Environmental Services; and the Department of Public Health.

The WHO reported the first local transmission of chikungunya in Saint Martin last December.

The term local transmission means that mosquito populations in an area are infected and spreading the virus to people.

Since then, local transmission of the chikungunya virus has been reported in Anguilla; British Virgin Islands; Dominica; Dominican Republic; French Guiana; Guadeloupe; Martinique; Saint Barthelemy; and Saint Kitts.

Dr Eijkemans said: “There is an increased threat of chikungunya virus because the mosquito that spreads it is the same that spreads dengue. So we already have the mosquito population, so it’s just a matter of keeping the disease out and that you can do by very strong surveillance to make sure the mosquito population is controlled. 

“Also by the community very closely monitoring their yards and the water they store, making sure all the little sources of water are eliminated.”

Dr Eijkemans explained that the mosquito species were poor flyers, and did not travel far from their originating source.

She said: “(Mosquitoes) won’t come from your neighbour to you, so if you see them they are probably in your own yard. People have to play an active role because this is something that the government cannot do alone.

“The time you have to be most vigilant is around the early morning and late afternoons, you can wear longer sleeves and you should try not to go out during those times. You should use insect repellent, it’s not perfect, but at least it will help.”

Dr Eijkemans added that PAHO is also working with Urban Renewal Centres to continue outreach and awareness on the issue.