BASSETERRE, ST KITTS – With reports of thousands of cases of the Zika virus in St Kitts and Nevis, the Timothy Harris Team Unity Government lacks the ability to deal with curbing the spread.
“Where is the Government in dealing with the Zika virus? So many children are sick, so many pregnant women are coming down sick, so many men are coming down sick,” said Dr Drew on Wednesday’s edition of the “Issues” programme on Freedom FM.
Dr Drew, who described the situation as “an epidemic”, said the effect on a large percentage of the population is having a tremendous negative impact on the economy.
“When people become sick, they have to stay home. People need to stay home and should stay home and use mosquito repellent to ensure that other persons do not become infected,” Dr Drew advised.
He pointed out that the necessary information is not coming from the two health ministers Hon Eugene Hamilton and Sen. Hon. Wendy Phipps.
“I am asking the Ministers of Health and the Ministry of Health to handle the situation more aggressively,”said Dr. Drew.
Dr Drew used the opportunity to urge Ministry officials to provide adequate information by launching an aggressive education campaign, holding workshops and a massive dissemination of flyers, pamphlets and educational material to be posted at public places including banks, post offices, doctors offices, business places, clinics and schools.
He also called on the general public to heed several measures he mentioned such as wearing protective clothing, use of condoms, frequent visits to doctors by pregnant women and cleaning and removing items that harbor water and breed mosquitoes.