THE Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches (JUGC) has called on the church community to become more involved in the response to the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak as well as the threat of ebola.

At the same time, the group asked the churches to offer special prayers this Saturday and Sunday for people affected by the CHIKV outbreak as well as individuals and institutions on the frontline for ebola preparedness.

“Environmental factors and hygiene are major contributors to the [CHIKV] problem. As such, the JUGC is calling upon those within the Christian community to participate in the clean-up actions taking place and where it is non-existent, to lead the charge,” said the group in a release.

The release comes two weeks after the church group met with Ministry of Health officials to discuss the role the church can play in the CHIKV fight and Ebola preparedness, JUGC Secretary Rev Gary Harriott told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Harriott said the Christian community had been responding to the CHIKV situation at the local congregation level and that the call is meant to solicit a national response from the community.

Harriott said there were no discussions with health officials about budgetary support for any clean-up the church may initiate, but that the expectation is that churches would provide financing.

In yesterday’s release, the JUGC also called on the Christian community to “avail itself of the relevant information from the Ministry of Health and to conduct awareness-building sessions” within the congregations.