The Rural Unkown Drought and Dengue

Earlier this week, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) issued a prediction of drought and dry spells for the Caribbean region. This forecast is said to last until the end of April and would include heatwaves and warmer than normal temperatures. In the same week, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) released a warning that there could be a possibility of a severe outbreak of dengue fever in the region, and citizens are being encouraged to play their role in reducing breeding grounds for mosquitoes. These two warnings seem to have been unheard by the public, when they should have sent out trigger warnings.

In a region that is ill-equipped for drought and where many do not have pipe-borne water or the appropriate receptacles, such as covered tanks, to properly store water, open air storage containers are the norm, even more so during a drought. 

Furthermore, research has shown that incidences of drought can increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika. Mosquito eggs are fragile and cannot survive in flowing or agitated waters. However, standing water—as can be found in open-air tanks—facilitates the growth of these mosquito eggs, which in turn would create the perfect habitat for the spread of diseases such as dengue.

With no regulations or policies in place for the appropriate ways to store water, and no back-up plans for households that cannot afford sealed water containers, these warnings paint a bleak situation for the coming months. This is exacerbated by the unavailability of proper medical facilities to tend to persons who may be affected by these diseases. With our public health agenda on the back burner, and our heavy dependence on tourism, this would not only affect Saint Lucia’s overall public health but could also impact tourism numbers, like when the Caribbean region was placed at Category 1 (having active Zika transmission) on the World Health Organization’s classification scheme for the Zika virus. If warnings from regional organisations such as CARPHA and CIMH don’t send up red flags, what will?

Keithlin Caroo is the founder of Helen’s Daughters a Saint Lucian non-profit with a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity-building. It was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program. To learn more about the initiative, visit: 

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