‘MEC must take proactive steps around Zika virus’

Sir
The DA calls on KZN Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, to take proactive steps around the Zika virus by ensuring that information is distributed to healthcare facilities across the province without delay.
In addition, he must ensure that rapid testing for the virus is made available. This after a Columbian businessman visiting South Africa was diagnosed with the virus in Johannesburg. There is currently no known treatment for the Zika virus. Nor is there any public education programme being run by KZN’s Department of Health that we are aware of.
In any situation such as this, government must take pre-emptive measures. As such, the DA expects KZN’s DoH to work closely with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in order to keep a close watch on the situation in our province.
We also expect that the measures and guidelines outlined by the national DoH are in place and adhered to in KZN. Certainly, this is not an outbreak and there is no need to panic. The virus is also not fatal except in very rare cases.
The greater concern commonly is the outcome of mother to child transmission during pregnancy if pregnant mothers are infected. The condition is self-limiting and lasts for only a few days. Our hospitals do have isolation facilities and are equipped to deal with any outbreak. This was witnessed during the Ebola episode.
The DA also calls on KZN’s DoH to take measures to reduce mosquito populations by consulting environmental specialists if this is in the interest of public safety.
We expect the MEC and his department to play an immediate proactive role. They can start by caring enough to at least start a reputable education programme which no doubt will assist with dealing with the few cases of Malaria that we see in KZN as well.
Dr Imran Keeka, MPL