PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller yesterday said the country is facing a national emergency and has restricted Government members of parliament and councillors from travelling to Ebola-affected areas as Jamaica ramps up preparation to combat the disease currently ravishing sections of West Africa. No one is to be travelling from Jamaica to any of the affected countries, Simpson Miller told reporters who, with the exception of journalists from the Jamaica Information Service, were excluded from a meeting at Jamaica House yesterday to discuss the States chikungunya (CHIKV) response and Ebola preparation plans. Simpson Miller issued the travel protocol during the meeting that included both Government and Opposition MPs, councillors and mayors from across the island. The meeting also included members of the security forces, disaster preparedness and health officials. According to a statement from which the prime minister addressed the meeting, Simpson Miller also called on Jamaicans to avoid travelling to Ebola-affected countries and regions, and truthfully declare your travel history when arriving and departing the island. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Opposition spokesman on commerce Karl Samuda lauded the move by the prime minister. Its a risk we cant afford to take. No minister should be travelling to areas affected, Samuda said. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, and Senegal in West Africa have been stricken by the virus that has taken over 4,032 lives. Two cases have been reported in Texas, USA, one in Germany, and one in Spain. The prime minister updated the meeting on Ebola preparations, saying that workers at the nations ports have been undergoing training. Surveillance at the ports of entry is being increased. Equipment such as hand-held laser temperature machines are being acquired through emergency arrangements. Protective gear is in stock at the Ministry of Health, with minimal numbers being deployed to health facilities and emergency response teams at the outset, she said. Additional gear is available from local suppliers and five emergency procurement arrangements are in place to access these supplies at short notice. Additional supplies are available [from] overseas with arrangements in place for 24-hour delivery should they be needed, Simpson Miller told the meeting. Meanwhile, monies have been allocated for the members of parliament and councillors to clean up their constituencies and divisions. Said the prime minister: We have called on State resources to provide $500 million to address some critical areas of the national health emergency response. The objective is to reduce mosquito-breeding sites starting with the worst-affected areas as indicated by the mapping that has been done by the Ministry of Health, she said. The allocation is as follows: * $150 million to meet some critical emergency needs of the Ministry of Health; * $70 million for parish councils -- $5 million per parish; * $126 million for activities led by members of parliament -- $2 million per constituency; and * The remaining $154 million will be utilised for additional clean-up and vector control activities based on reports from the Ministry of Health in consultation with other stakeholders.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 16:14:05 +0000
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