The Environmental Health Division of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition has partnered with residents of Anse La Raye to carry out an intensive source reduction and community clean-up campaign aimed at eliminating mosquito and rodent breeding sites across the village.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over an increase in mosquito and vector breeding sites identified throughout the community and forms part of ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases and promote a healthier living environment.
Senior Environmental Health Officer Glenda Etienne-Cepal explained that the campaign was designed to remove items that create conditions for pests to thrive.
“Our purpose for being in the village is to identify any factors, any item with the potential to either breed mosquitoes or to breed rats, in an effort to remove them from the community,” Etienne-Cepal said.
She noted that the timing of the activity was intentional, as the rainy season typically brings a spike in mosquito and rodent populations.
“We’re taking this initiative ahead of the rainy season because we know that during the rainy season, we see an increase in mosquitoes and rats, and by extension, we see the diseases that they spread,” she explained.
Etienne-Cepal added that community education formed a critical part of the campaign, with residents being engaged through schools and meetings to ensure they understood the importance of proper waste management.
“So, we engage the community members in education campaigns, go to the schools, and we have had community meetings so that people can be well informed about today,” she said.
She also urged residents to be more mindful of how and when they dispose of garbage, warning that improper practices contribute directly to vector breeding.
“So, we’re asking people to be a bit more considerate, especially in the way that they put their garbage out. Do not put it out before the garbage truck passes so early that the dogs get into it or other scavengers get into it,” Etienne-Cepal stated.
“Be mindful of putting your bulk waste out. Putting your bulk waste out and not disposing of it appropriately causes them to breed vectors.”
Residents welcomed the initiative, describing it as a unifying effort for the community. Anse La Raye resident Albert Joseph said the clean-up has strengthened community bonds and highlighted the potential for future development.
“It has brought us together. And then it shows that if we can do this little to help keep our environment clean, there are so many more things that we can do together,” Joseph said.
He added that the campaign has sparked wider discussions about improving the village.
“We can help in terms of painting our community, developing it, and we’re looking at our development plan in the future,” he noted.
“So, there are so many things that we can do together. It’s necessary for our community, all of us, to pool our resources, our skills, and our talents together so that we can make this village the place that people can love and enjoy.”
Health officials say the Anse La Raye exercise underscores the importance of community participation in public health initiatives, particularly as the country prepares for the upcoming rainy season.