Health Workers Threatened by Criminals During Dengue Cleanup Efforts

As the dengue outbreak continues to surge in the Belize District, personnel from the Ministry of Health and Wellness are facing a new obstacle, specifically, aggression from criminal elements. Our newsroom has been informed that the staff going into neighborhoods to conduct cleanups and eradicating mosquito breeding sites are being threatened. These trips often take them into neighborhoods that are hot spots for criminal gangs. Lisa Tillett, Senior Public Health Inspector with the ministry, says that recently, ministry staff have been subject to threats in these areas.

Lisa Tillett, Senior Public Health Inspector, MOHW: “We are out there every day, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We work as a group at least 20 of us we are there on the streets in the different areas. We give away the coil. We do the health education. We fog your homes for you and we do all the interventions that can be done. Currently, we’re assisting the schools as school is about to open with additional spraying of the schools before it opens.  As much as we have loved in the public and as much as we’re offered a little drink of water or a little this or a little that when we go to people homes because they see what we’re doing and we are well appreciated out there. But in certain areas of Belize, especially the  gang-prone areas, we would go and we would get threats. We would be threatened. My guys would get the finger in the shape of a gun or they would literally be cursed out saying, don’t bring the F around here. So even though we have residents in those areas who want the service, we’re not able to give it to them because of behaviors like those. So we have to do what’s best for us at times.”

Tillett says that the issue needs to be addressed quickly, as the number of dengue cases is rising and more people are being hospitalized. She also pleaded with the public to take the necessary precautions and avoid exposure. 

Lisa Tillett, Senior Public Health Inspector, MOHW: “Well, we are having more cases than we had the last time and we’re having more hospitalization and we’re having more people having to visit the hospital even on an emergency basis. And this is due because  people are taking very long to seek medical attention. Basically, we  as a community we’re not taking care of ourselves. You know, we have to go and we have to start being responsible. You know, for some of us we’re still out there pulling the plastic chair and having this big conversation in the night on the streets, on the corner and those things should not be. You should at least try to be in your house if you don’t have nothing to do out in the street. Take care of yourself. Buy a little fish, you spray your house inside out. We give away the coils. If anybody needs coils, come to us. We can always give you one or two. Burn the coils. Whatever you have to do in and around the house to prevent dengue. If you notice you’re not feeling well, especially the elderly, the child, seek medical attention early.  Remember, with dengue, there’s no treatment for dengue. You just have to do whatever symptoms you have. You have headache, you take Tylenol. You have fever, you take Tylenol, and you should be all right. But if you neglect yourselves, wait couple three, four days, you go to the bathroom you start seeing  blood in your stool, you start seeing signs of blood and you don’t seek medical attention, that is where the dengue hemorrhagic takes you over.  And that is deadly. You can and people die from dengue hemorrhagic.” 

There have been over 300 reported cases of dengue this year, most of which are in the Belize District.