MOSQUITOES can be considered one of the most dangerous creatures in the world! Mosquitoes kill nearly 725,000 people a year because they can transmit deadly viruses such as malaria,the West Nile virus, and dengue with just a bite.

Guyana in its recent observance of Mosquito Awareness Week focused its attention on the aedes aegypti mosquito.
This year’s theme is “Bringing the Region together to protect communities against diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika, spread by the aedes aegypti mosquito”

The yellow fever mosquito is a mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever viruses, and other disease agents. The mosquito can be recognised by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of its thorax.

Appearing on the National Communication Network’s (NCN) Guyana Today Show were Cassinder Alzo-Ash, focal point of the Aedes-borne Disease Programme and Microbiologist Mohini Sooklall, who is attached to the Vector Control Unit of The Ministry of Health. The two representatives spoke of keeping a healthy environment to prevent the harbouring of these insects.
Sooklall, in her statement, urged members of the public to eliminate breeding sites for the deadly mosquitoes.

“We are urging persons to get rid of tyres in their yards or if you are not going to get rid of them, at least bore holes in them, so that the water can escape; additionally, in order to eliminate breeding sites, cover drums used to collect water with a cloth, so that they aren’t exposed to the elements,” Sooklall urged.

She also urged members of the public to get rid of plastic and glass bottles which can be habitable sites of the aedes aegypti mosquito.
In order to make the public, more aware of the dangers of this mosquito (Aedes) and the exposure to diseases borne by this mosquito, the vector department of the Ministry of Health is planning to educate as many people as possible through demonstration.

With the continued presence of mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue and Chikungunya, and the arrival of Zika in the Region, it is a crucial time to bring the Region together to “fight the bite.”

At the 17th Special Session of the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference on public health threats in November 2014, the Heads approved a proposal for the establishment of an annual “Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week” to be observed by member states with support from CARPHA and the CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with PAHO.

This year Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week event took place from May 6-12, 2021. The annual event is a collaborative initiative between the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The event is designed to strengthen existing initiatives in the Region and mobilise the public and communities to take action and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. The overall theme, ‘Small bite, big threat’ and the slogan “Fight the bite, destroy mosquito breeding sites” remain the same.

The objectives of Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week are:
* to promote education, awareness and community participation in vector control;
* to promote communication and cooperation;
* to maintain vector-control activities on the political and community agenda; and
* To serve as a platform for integrated activities.