Helen Jenkinson (left), first counsellor, head of the economics and social development section of European Union, chats with Dr Jennifer Thame, director, National Laboratory Service, and Dr Homero Silva, sustainable development adviser at PAHO/WHO yesterday, during the opening ceremony of the Leptospirosis Prevention and Control Intervention (post-Hurricane Dean), held at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Government was awarded a grant in excess of $35 million yesterday to improve the island's public health laboratory capacity.

The grant was made in an effort to boost diagnosis and management of leptospirosis and dengue fever on the island.

The grant was awarded by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston. The money was made available through the Humanitarian Aid of the European Commission, for post-Hurricane Dean activities.

The fund is to be used to establish a testing site at the National Public Health Laboratory, among other things. The new lab is expected to enhance the country's capacity to respond to outbreaks. It will support the satellite laboratory at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay as well as the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, which is the only lab that provides specialised testing to determine the strain of virus causing leptospirosis.

During 2007 the country experienced increased cases of dengue and leptospirosis. According to the Ministry of Health and Environment, there were 1,713 cases of leptospirosis islandwide, a 95 per cent increase over 2006. Sixty per cent of the cases were reported in the last quarter of the year following the onslaught of Hurricane Dean in August.

Similarly, there was an increase in the number of cases of dengue fever. Of a total 5,290 suspected cases, 1,521 were confirmed - 21 more cases than in 2006.