The North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) has handed over 12 new Swingfog fogging machines, valuing J$5.6 million, to the St. Ann, St. Mary, and Portland Health Departments.

The equipment, which includes adapters and silencers, was officially presented during a recent handover ceremony at the Ocean Village Shopping Centre in Ocho Rios.

The St Ann Health Department received the largest allocation with five machines, while St. Mary received four and Portland three.

NERHA regional director Fabia Lamm explained that the handover was driven by the need to maintain pressure on mosquito populations across the region, where progress is being made in controlling the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.

“I think we can safely say that we have seen continued suppression of the mosquito population from the data for the parish of St Mary. So, congratulations. We are seeing major improvements in Portland and in St. Ann as well, and we hope that with this intervention of adding these Swingfog fogging machines, we will help to see better outcomes as it relates to the vector,” Lamm outlined.

Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting illnesses such as dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, malaria, and yellow fever.

These diseases can have serious health consequences and, in some cases, leave lasting effects even after recovery.

Lamm emphasised that fogging alone is not a cure-all, but rather one component of a broader strategy employed by health authorities to control mosquito populations.

“Our programmes include, for the most part, the ‘search and destroy’ approach, where the teams visit the homes, check for mosquito breeding, do whatever is necessary to minimise this and educate our citizens about controlling mosquitoes and the breeding of mosquitoes and then, as a secondary effort, we do fogging activities,” she explained.

The regional director stressed that the most effective approach begins with preventing mosquito breeding.

To this end, health teams continue to place strong emphasis on community education, working with residents to help them understand the vital role they play in reducing breeding sites.

Meanwhile, parish manager for the Portland Health Department, Joan Robinson McPherson, welcomed the handover, describing the machines as an important investment in public health and a clear demonstration of the region’s commitment to protecting communities from mosquito-borne diseases.

“The addition of these Swingfog machines will significantly strengthen our capacity to respond quickly and effectively in our communities. We are deeply appreciative of the support, which demonstrates a clear understanding that safeguarding public health requires timely resources,” she stated.

“Your (NERHA) investment will directly support the work of our environmental health team as they continue to serve the residents of the three parishes with dedication and professionalism,” Robinson McPherson added.