Zika Virus: DA calls on Health Minister to take action to protect South Africans

25 May 2016

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a notice confirming that the Zika virus has made its way from Brazil to Cabo Verde off the coast of West Africa. The WHO also highlighted that countries such as Mozambique and Angola are at risk, given the flow of traffic between Lusophone countries.

The DA calls on Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to increase our surveillance of Zika and to begin to plan an awareness campaign with pregnant women to take protective steps to avoid mosquito bites and sexual transmission. We also call on Minister Motsoaledi to conduct risk assessments, as well as brief the country on our preparedness should the virus hit the country. We are presently not at risk but circumstances can change rapidly.

This is evidenced by the 7557 cases had been confirmed and 3 of microcephaly in Cabo Verde since 08 May 2016. It is the first time that the strain linked to neurological disorders and microcephaly has been detected on the doorstep of mainland Africa. 

Government has a responsibility to be as vigilant and as proactive as possible to ensure that South Africa remains Zika-free. The spread of this disease, especially among pregnant mothers leads to microcephaly, a medical condition that inhibits brain development, resulting in a smaller than normal head in infants and children. This disorder impedes intellectual ability, motor function, speech as well as causes abnormal facial features and seizures. Many crises often hit the poor and vulnerable first and hardest, and measures should be taken to ensure that those living in rural areas and other marginalised communities are protected from this disease. 

The threat of the Zika virus entering South Africa’s borders is a real one, as many people travel to South Africa from West Africa and our neighbouring Mozambique, which also has high traffic with Brazil on a daily basis. 

The spread of this virus to South Africa is a serious public health threat and should be met with the necessary urgency to ensure that South Africa is prepared to handle it effectively to minimise its impact. 

The DA will support government’s efforts in ensuring that South Africans are kept safe from harmful diseases. 

Issued by Wilmot James, DA Shadow Minister of Health, 25 May 2016