News

The Cayman Islands Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) is honored to be selected to host the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Mosquito Control Workshop for the first time in Grand Cayman. This event, held from Tuesday to Thursday, underscores MRCU's ongoing commitment to the safe and effective use of mosquito control products, continuous skill development, and cutting-edge research.

The three-day workshop brings together public health professionals from several CARPHA member countries, focusing on the critical maintenance and calibration of mosquito control equipment. This workshop focuses on supporting eight of 26 member countries. The event plays a vital role in ensuring that those present strengthen their mosquito management efforts, helping to protect communities from mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and malaria.

"As leaders in mosquito control, MRCU is dedicated to staying ahead of the curve," says Dr. Alan Wheeler, Director of the MRCU. "We are honored to be selected to host this workshop, reflecting our commitment to ensuring that our methods and products are applied safely and effectively, and that we continue to share our expertise with our Caribbean neighbors."

The workshop provides a balanced mix of theoretical and practical training. Participants engage in classroom sessions on best practices in equipment maintenance, followed by direct hands-on experience with calibration and particle testing. This comprehensive approach ensures that mosquito control products are deployed with precision, maximizing their impact while maintaining safety.

Frank Clarke, Vice President of Strategic Development and Key Accounts at Clarke, who leads part of the training, highlights the importance of the workshop: "By enhancing our expertise in equipment maintenance and calibration, we ensure that our mosquito control interventions are not only effective but also conducted with the highest standards of safety."

Participants from across the Caribbean express their enthusiasm for the training and the opportunity to collaborate. Egner Lanin, District Supervisor for the Central Health Region in Belize, notes, "I can take what I've learned here and apply new methods and strategies back home, improving our efforts to combat diseases like dengue and malaria."

Alfred Robinson, a mosquito control leader from Turks and Caicos Islands, echoes this sentiment, saying, "The conditions in Cayman are similar to those in Turks and Caicos, and what I've learned here will be highly applicable back home."

Dr. Horace Cox, Acting Director of Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA, praises the Cayman Islands for their leadership in mosquito control: "The Cayman Islands have tremendous infrastructure. Not only do you have a very good operational system for delivering mosquito and other vector control interventions, but also a scientific approach to doing this. We appreciate being in the Cayman Islands and hope we can continue to build this partnership, working closely to assist those who might not be as strong in these important areas."

As the workshop concludes, the MRCU remains committed to advancing mosquito control practices both locally and across the region. By continuously updating our skills and research, we ensure that the Cayman Islands, and by extension the Caribbean, are well-equipped to tackle the challenges posed by mosquito-borne diseases.