The Ministry of Health's report this week about new cases of dengue, leptospirosis and malaria is deep cause for concern about the extent to which the country is able to maintain its preventive public health policy.

As was dramatically demonstrated again this week, the lack of regular maintenance and clearing of drains, gullies and other waterways resulted in flooding of major roadways, creating tremendous traffic gridlock in urban centres.

We are all too aware that it does not take a high volume of water to create chaos on the Jamaican roadways. When we have had several days of continuous rainfall, as we had this week, then we are facing certain disaster. The same principle applies to public health. It makes little sense for public officials to claim a lack of money to do necessary vector control and cleaning only to have to find funds later to address emergencies when there is an outbreak of diseases. The Health Ministry's reports of 100 cases of leptospirosis, a viral illness spread by infected animals, especially rats, and more than 900 suspected cases of dengue point to serious lapses in our public health policy.

The slow collection of garbage in the wake of Hurricane Dean is one such example. And while it is commendable, as we noted yesterday, that the Prime Minister launched a special clean-up effort recently, a properly maintained schedule of garbage collection would make that almost unnecessary, even with the extra storm debris.

While governments often have to deal with the unexpected there is no excuse not to prepare for the predictable. Rains come every year, and even when there is a drought there is the expectation that it will be broken at some point. With the rains there is an increased incidence of diseases spread by mosquitoes and flies.

We need to revisit the policy of inspection by public health officers, and make greater use of mass media to disseminate information to communities and households. They have been used effectively in the past to contain the spread of diseases and we discard them to our peril. These have to be budgeted for with the knowledge that heavy rains and consequential flooding occur every year before, during and after the main hurricane season. The country has taken some, albeit inadequate, steps to address damage to roadways and other infrastructure. We should be no less prepared in addressing public health concerns.

These measures do not obviate the need for individuals to take steps to deal with their own yards and immediate environs. Too often people are cavalier in the way they discard garbage and then complain when roadways and gullies are blocked because of their own carelessness. This requires a collective effort by all of us for our own good health.

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