The Ministry of Health has partnered with telecommunications company FLOW in a bid to increase the messaging platforms for the national response to the Zika virus. In a recent meeting Ministry of Health and FLOW officials agreed to network advertising for three (3) months to increase the output of messages geared towards public education about Zika.
Several services including communication on various platforms will be utilized to expand and strengthen the Ministry of Health’s reach as it heightens its public education campaign on the virus. The Ministry of Health will also have access to FLOW’s social media channels and have the opportunity to blast text messages for emergency communication of Zika information.
In addition to these platforms, FLOW has offered to have Zika virus information, educational and communication material placed in FLOW-owned stores and provide volunteers for vector control activities under the Ministry’s ‘Operation: Mosquito Search and Destroy’ initiative. The total cost of this partnership is valued at over three (3) million dollars.
FLOW’s Public Relations Officer Danielle Savory says “as Jamaica’s leading telecommunications provider, we feel it is our civic duty to assist in any way we can to help protect our citizens. We have committed to providing aggressive support for the communication drive of the Ministry through the channels at our disposal and willingly join hands on this proactive approach being undertaken to drive awareness and ultimately prevent or lessen the spread of the Zika virus. We also stand ready to give support to any effort to safeguard lives. We commend the MOH team for the 360 degree approach being taken in engaging stakeholders at all levels”
Chief medical Officer, Dr. Winston De La Haye says “collaborative efforts with various agencies are very important in our vector control activities and we want to specially thank FLOW for providing this level of assistance without hesitation. We urge our other private sector companies who have not yet done so to come on board to offer their support. FLOW’s input has been vital to the success of this operation and will add significant value as we move forward with the Zika response.”