The Ministry of Health says it has has spent $22 million since October 2014 on public education and communication in the preparedness and response phase of the Ebola Integrated Response Strategy.

Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson made the disclosure on Tuesday during the promotional display of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus wraps at the Half-Way-Tree Transportation Centre in St Andrew.

He said the ministry has implemented a six- month public education and communication campaign to promote specific behaviours that reduce disease risk and protect the health of Jamaicans.

“Going forward, we will embark on a series of public education programmes in an effort to promote effective health preventive and protective messages in light of the fact that we have received a significant increase in budgetary allocation for the new financial year for health promotion and education,” Dr Ferguson stated.

Among the communication activities carried out over the six months period was the utilisation of JUTC Bus wraps. The messages to educate the population on taking simple steps to prevent the spread of diseases were placed on two buses in the JUTC fleet on the most popular routes. Three internal panel messages were also placed on three buses in the JUTC fleet. In addition, two billboards were mounted in Portmore, St Catherine on the Dyke Road and in Aqualta Vale, St Mary.

Information, education and communication material were developed and distributed across the island while trainingwas done with several groups to assist with the disemmination of information.