ORLANDO — Two Department of Health employees recently received national recognition for their work in vector control at the 85th American Mosquito Control Association annual meeting in Florida.
The employees, David Delgado and Aubrey Drummond, each received the Boyz-Ariaz Grass Roots Award, an award that commends non-supervisory field staff and technician excellence in vector control programs.
The award included a plaque and conference enrollment for each recipient, which they used to attend presentations and special meetings on new advances, findings, and techniques being shared globally in mosquito-borne disease control.
Both Delgado and Drummond felt the experience was valuable, as they gained new knowledge that can be applied in their work. When asked what receiving the award meant to him, Delgado shared, “It’s always nice that employees are recognized for their efforts. Sometimes we just go along our day completing daily tasks, but being awarded has demonstrated that others appreciate your dedication and hard work.”
Vector is the term used to refer to a mosquito or other arthropod that carries and transmits disease. The data gathered from field work by employees like Delgado and Drummond is crucial to understanding local mosquito populations and controlling mosquito-borne disease
transmission and illness in the Virgin Islands. Mosquito populations, characteristics, and activities can vary widely from one location to another, and data from Virgin Islands’ mosquito populations allows the Department of Health to better manage the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
The award serves as a testament to the work being conducted by the vector control employees of the Department of Health as they continue to monitor and manage the local vector populations. More information on the award and meeting can be found here.