Samoa steps up chikungunya prevention

Transcript

Students and police in Samoa are banding together for a mass clean up to stop the spread of chikungunya.

At least 50 people are suspected to have contracted the mosquito-borne disease that has infected over five-hundred people in American Samoa.  
 
Our correspondent Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, says a Ministry of Health campaign launched today has schools, police and government ministries clearing away rubbish.

He told Daniela Maoate-Cox the ministry hopes the clean up will reduce breeding areas for mosquitoes.

AUTAGAVAIA TIPI AUTAGAVAIA: All rubbish from containers, old car tyres, anything where mosquitos can breed needs to be cleaned and taken to the Tafa'igata main rubbish dump.

DANIELA MAOATE-COX: And they need to make sure there're no pools of water nearby the homes as well, is that part of the clean up plan?

ATA: Yes, especially those swampy areas where mosquitos can breed, and plus rivers because families living nearby need to also be very aware that it's a very easy way for mosquitos to breed so all those parts of the country need to be cleaned up.

DM-C: Will the plan work? Is the Government confident that this will help reduce the risk of getting this disease?

ATA: Well, you know as long as we're all working together and continue on cleaning up these breeding areas we should be able to have a low number of people being affected by chikungunya and that's also from the Ministry of Health director last week, once we do all these awareness programs and clean up then we should be able to get a very low number of people being infected.

DM-C: Does the ministry have any idea at the moment of how many people have the disease?

ATA: Well, so far from last week the number was around fifty, but as of this week, this is Friday, I've been trying to locate people to get the information on the latest figures but there's public doctors on local media here, the director general of health, is saying there is an increase.

DM-C: So there is quite a big risk here that people could get this?

ATA: Yeah well as long as we can see the latest figures then we'll be able to have a clear picture of where the disease is going and how many people are suffering. But the advice from the ministry of health to people affected is to have a good rest at home and take panadol.

DM-C: What else is being done to help slow down the spread of this disease?

ATA: Well since the last couple of weeks, the Ministry of Health has done a lot of measures to make sure that all these airports and walks needs to be sprayed and all those airport compounds just to be sure the breeding areas for mosquitos are being cleared.

DM-C: It's interesting you should mention airports there, Samoa is going to be hosting the Small Island Developing States conference in September, with a lot of people coming in is the government concerned that the disease might spread even further?

ATA: Well I think that's the main reason why there is a mass clean up today and also these programs from the Ministry of Health just to make sure the disease is not going to get into a serious position before all these people come in starting next week.

DM-C: You mentioned the airport will be sprayed down to help kill of the mosquitoes, will people entering Samoa go through any kind of screening process for their health as well?

ATA: The Ministry of Health last week did not say they're going to screen people coming in, all they're saying is they've already started spraying the airports and the walls just to make sure the mosquitos are being killed.