THE EDITOR, Sir:
DAILY I am in contact with the people from my community as well as adjoining areas. Over the past two months, I have heard of five diagnosed cases of leptospirosis.
I do not believe that these are endemic cases. I believe that the rat population throughout the island has reached alarming proportions.
Since this disease is spread by the eating of food contaminated with the urine of rats, then I believe that an islandwide campaign should be launched to try and bring this pernicious rodent in check.
Mr. Editor, the Ministry of Health should not wait until we have another Mandeville outcry before addressing this problem. Lives are being lost, and people are being made to suffer unnecessarily. The Jamaica Information Service should immediately be mobilised to start an education programme islandwide.
The ministries of Health and Agriculture should immediately launch a bait-setting drive, financed by them to eliminate this scourge.
Let us not wait until our loved ones die from a disease that could have been prevented and then say that we are sorry.
I am, etc.,
A.S. JACKSON
Chapelton
Clarendon
