SACP supports legitimate measures by SANDF to protect military personnel against COVID-19
31 January 2021
The South African Communist Party (SACP) supports legitimate measures by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to ensure Force Protection, mitigate against military personnel being compromised in their frontline duties, and thus save life against COVID-19. The military is the last line of defence in every country.
Capable defence forces around the world are well-known for medical research for protecting their forces, and the results of that research have been beneficial to the wider society, just as it has happened with technologies developed through military research. The SANDF was correct in pointing out these facts in its statement released on Thursday, 28 January 2021. The last thing that South Africa needs is a military compromised by disease.
There is a large body of scientific evidence globally that the Cuban developed Heberon® Alfa R (Interferon Alfa 2b) has been used successfully for over 30 years. It does not take rocket science, vis-à-vis the World Health Organisation, to establish that Heberon® Alfa R is approved around the world for the treatment of numerous diseases, including several cancers.
The description of the Cuban developed Heberon® Alfa R by the Sunday Times on 31 January 2021 as a “controversial… drug” has absolutely no scientific basis and should not have been used at all. The SACP accepts the explanation by the SANDF that its Health Services applied to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for the use of Heberon® Alfa R against COVID-19 to save life under Force Protection as detailed in SANDF application and statement cited above—which indicates that the approval was granted on 5 October 2020.