THE Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) launched Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week (CMAW) 2025 amid rise in mosquito-borne diseases across the region.
The initiative runs from May 12 to 16 under the theme, “Stop Disease Transmission, Start Source Reduction.”
CARPHA said that 13 of its Member States reported over 2,569 suspected and 1,295 confirmed dengue cases in the past year, marking a 16% increase from the previous year. New dengue and malaria cases have also emerged in the first quarter of 2025, stated in a media release via Caribbean Public Health Agency on Monday.
CARPHA Executive Director Dr Lisa Indar said, “The Caribbean cannot address this threat in isolation. We need the collective effort of ministries, schools, churches, tourism stakeholders, NGOs, the media, and most importantly, our people.”
Citizens and institutions have been urged to eliminate mosquito breeding sites by taking actions such as emptying stagnant water, cleaning drains, and covering water containers.
Acting Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, Dr Horace Cox, said, “Mosquitoes may be small, but the diseases they spread are not. Source reduction is one of the more powerful weapons we have. This is everyone’s fight.”
CARPHA continues to support its Member States through training, technical guidance, and public communication tools under the European Union-funded Zika Project, the release stated.
As part of CMAW 2025, the agency has released a digital toolkit available in English, French, and Haitian Creole, which includes posters, jingles, youth-oriented items, and a region-wide Instagram Reel Competition.
The week of awareness was first launched in 2016 following the Zika outbreak and was approved at the 17th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting.
Stakeholders are encouraged to access the CMAW toolkit and competition information at https://caribbeanmosquitoweek.
