Citizens urged to be cautious about water sources

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton is imploring citizens to be careful about where they are accessing water for consumption as drought conditions continue.

"We are concerned about the drought conditions and the impact it is having on the availability of water and public health. We have sent out an advisory for persons to monitor the water they consume," he noted. Tufton, who was speaking to JIS News during the ministry's 'Know Your Numbers' tour stop at Independence Park in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, recently, urged persons to contact the Public Health Department if there is any question about the cleanliness of their water source. He said that special precautions must be taken during periods of drought, as cases of water-borne illnesses, such as gastroenteritis, tend to increase.

Medical Officer for Westmoreland Dr Marcia Graham said that not having access to safe water to wash hands or prepare food puts persons at risk for gastroenteritis and other diseases.

"If [persons] come down with vomiting and diarrhoea, and if they don't have safe water to drink and to mix the rehydration salt for the treatment of [those] symptoms to prevent dehydration, that can [also] become an issue," she noted.

"We need to make sure that we treat all water that we get as unsafe water. We need to make it safe by boiling, or by using chlorine," she said.