Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson has reiterated that the power to stem the spread of the chikungunya virus is primarily in the hands of individuals because of the vector responsible for its transmission.

Dr Ferguson was speaking during the handover of a donation of 1,600 bottles of paracetamol, valued at US$7,040 from Food For The Poor, to assist with the treatment of persons infected with chikungunya.

The handing-over ceremony was held yesterday at the charity's Ellerslie Pen offices in St Catherine.

He said there has to be individual responsibility because the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds around people and is generally found in the homes, workplaces, schools, places of worship and other places where people gather.

"I continue to appeal to Jamaicans, therefore, to get rid of mosquito breeding sites in their environment and join in the crusade to clean up Jamaica, as that is the only way we will successfully reduce the impact of vector-borne diseases, including chikungunya. I assure you, that from all evidence available, the virus is not airborne. Science has proven that it is only transmitted through particular mosquito vector," he said.

"Every year, we have a problem with dengue, which is spread by the same mosquito. This simply means that our efforts to clean-up and take other measures to reduce mosquito breeding sites have to be sustained throughout the year," he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Ferguson pointed out that although the public sector has been able to maintain a constant stock of paracetamol, the donation by Food For The Poor will assist the ministry to continue to do so.

Dr Ferguson thanked Food For The Poor and pointed out that in 2013, the agency donated 86 containers of medical items to the health sector with a value of close to J$3.4 billion dollars.