Dear Editor,
Recently, the Public Health Ministry fogged the area in which I lived for mosquitoes. It is good to see evidence of the Ministry’s efforts to eradicate vector-borne diseases caused by mosquitoes.
I would like to suggest two things to the Health Ministry to bolster their efforts in this fight and in the fight to improve health over all.
The first is the announcement of its fogging schedule via the Sunday newspapers, social media, mobile phone, television, or radio to give homeowners some advance time to prepare for these exercises by covering utensils and indoor water bodies and by cooking and eating earlier. As the Ministry is undoubtedly aware and has already considered when planning these exercises, some inorganic pesticides have the potential to remain within the air, water, soil and on other surface for a long period of time without breaking down or may break down into substances that are potentially more toxic. These substances accumulate within the fatty cells of living organisms such as human beings and over time can build up to toxic levels that can lead to long-term illnesses. Giving persons time to cover those utensils or materials that will directly enter their bodies will at least allow some measure of protection against direct ingestion of these pesticides.
Secondly is the use of organic alternatives to the chemical synthetic pesticides that are used in order to control the mosquito vector. Inorganic pesticides, though highly effective in the eradication of pests are all too effective in the eradication of other living organisms also. These pesticides are known to accumulate within the fatty tissues of animals, eg humans, building up to toxic levels over time, leading to long-term illnesses. They also kill insects that are equally beneficial, such as ladybugs which control pests such as aphids and butterflies and bees which are agents of pollination.
The residues from these pesticides are also washed out of the air into the soil where they affect the multitude of soil organisms that are essential to a healthy and beneficial soil.
I was recently made aware of the existence of an organic pesticide developed by The Evergreen Nature Club that may be used. Has the Ministry considered using this instead? Have they considered developing one of their own, either through collaboration with the IAST or the University of Guyana using extracts from trees, herbs and grasses that are known to naturally repel mosquitoes, such as neem, crab oil, cloves, lemon grass, thyme and garlic? I have had some success in repelling mosquitoes, though only for a short time, using thyme soaked in coconut oil and garlic and cloves chopped up and burnt in a candle. I have also read of purely garlic-based organic pesticides that have been just as effective as DDT, the common ingredient in inorganic pesticides.
These suggestions may help the Ministry see a reduction in mosquito-borne disease without an increase in other diseases caused by the introduction or accumulation of pesticides into the human body. Persons should also be encouraged to try these alternatives themselves in their efforts to combat these diseases.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen
