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The Portfolio Committee on Health met on Wednesday with the National Department of Health and the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health.

The Committee was briefed by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, on the Department of Health’s strategies in addressing the listeriosis outbreak, whilst the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health briefed the Committee on its readiness for Day Zero.

Minister Motsoaledi said he has received assurance from the Minister of Water and Sanitation that all hospitals and clinics will not be affected by Day Zero in the Western Cape.

Briefing the Committee, Minister Motsoaledi said South Africa has been dealing with listeriosis for the past 41 years and that about 60 to 80 cases were detected and treated annually. The difference this time around is that listeriosis is behaving unusually and spreading rapidly, which it has not done before. This is why it is classified as notifiable, said Minister Motsoaledi.

Listeriosis is caused by bacteria and is treatable and preventable, if people take the following measures:

• Keep clean – wash hands with soap and clean running water before handling food or after visiting the bathroom.
• Cook food thoroughly because listeria is sensitive to heat and will die if well cooked.
• Separate raw and cooked food.
• Keep food at safe temperatures. Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Promptly refrigerate cooked food below five degrees.
• Use safe water and raw materials. Boil water if it is not from a clean, safe source, and wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before ingesting.

From January 2017 to November 2017, a total of 557 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in all nine provinces. However, most cases were reported in Gauteng (62%), Western Cape (13%) and KwaZulu-Natal (7%).

Responding to the presentation, the Committee said the department must work jointly with local government on a campaign to educate communities about the disease so that people take pre-cautionary measures.

The Chairperson for the Committee, Ms Lindelwa Dunjwa, said: “We must ensure that in our constituencies we empower people as Members of Parliament through radio programmes about the disease. It is not only the responsibility of government to educate communities”.
 

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Health, Lindelwa Dunjwa