2010 FIFA World Cup and outbreak of Rift Valley Fever

Statement by the Deputy Minister of Health Dr M Sefularo on outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Free State and Northern Cape provinces, Pelonomi Hospital: 8 March 2010

We are here in the Free State, the sixth province to be visited, to ascertain the level of readiness of our health and medical facilities and services for 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament before kick-off on 11 June 2010.

We also need to ensure that we deliver on our commitments to ensure availability of a comprehensive response on a 24-hour basis for the duration of the tournament, having identified the following areas of preparedness:

* Emergency medical services
* Hospital Services
* Port Health
* Environmental health:
* Communicable Disease Control
* Health Promotion
* Forensic Medical Services
o Clinical Medico-Legal
o Pathology Services

With less than 100 days to the soccer tournament, this is a critical period for verification and confirmation of our readiness. We are not looking for new plans or strategies, but seek to combine our efforts and energies to fine-tune and improve our response systems and to remove obstacles that may compromise effective service delivery during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We need to work with speed meet our goals before kick-off.

Our visit to the Free State province follows preparation processes in the last three years and subsequent series of inspection visits to host cities and stadia in Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and we have three more provinces to visit before we finalise our country report on health readiness, to be launched in April 2010.

Our programme started this morning with a presentation on the state of readiness at Pelonomi Hospital, and included the inspection of services in the trauma unit and wards. We will proceed to the Emergency Medical Centre (EMS) to inspect the facility and vehicles, and then move to Universitas Academic Hospital to assess the referral system in place as well as diagnostic, radiology and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). So far, I am impressed by the wonderful work that has been done by the province to prepare for the soccer tournament.

On 8 and 9 February 2010, we organised a workshop to review progress of all provinces, and during that time the Free State province was experiencing challenges in staffing levels and procurement. It was interesting this morning to be able to compare how the province has advanced to address gaps.

Our visit today coincides with the occurrence of the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) which falls under Communicable Diseases Control, one of the areas of responsibility for the tournament. It is our responsibility to develop a comprehensive plan for communicable disease control which includes a viable disease surveillance system, and outbreak response teams to improve our interventions.

To date, up to 8 March 2010, a total of seven human cases with one death have been confirmed in the Free State and Northern Cape. A 45 year old patient who was admitted to a mine hospital on 26 February 2010 with a provisional diagnosis of Congo fever, died a day later and confirmation of RVF was made on the 4th of March. The six others, who had mild disease, continue to be under observation and treatment.

The outbreak is affecting predominantly livestock (sheep, goats, cattle) on farms within the Free State and Northern Cape provinces. As of 4 March 2010, 15 farms reported laboratory confirmed animal cases with extensive livestock deaths. The affected farms are primarily clustered within central Free State (Lejweleputswa District, Bultfontein area). There are also farms in several other districts with confirmed RVF.

I would like to place it on record that this occurrence does not constitute a crisis. The outbreak is being contained. We have good surveillance systems in place to determine the cause, notify, control and manage the outbreak, working closely with our partners the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and National Health Laboratory Services.

At this stage, the Department of Health’s National and Provincial Outbreak Response Teams, in collaboration with Department of Agriculture and the NICD, are responding well to the outbreak.

Disease control in animals and livestock, such as the outbreak of Rift Valley fever, rabies and foot-and-mouth disease, in the country is the core function of the Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for enforcing policies and laws to control the movement of animals and to contain the spread of the disease. The Department of Health deals with possible spread of zoonoses and the potential threat to human health. Therefore, this is not only a health matter but requires inter-governmental collaboration between all relevant stakeholders.

I do appeal to the communities especially in the provinces of Free State and Northern Cape to observe the following, to contain the spread:

* Avoiding high-risk animal husbandry procedures and slaughtering practices through use of gloves and other protective clothing, especially when handling sick animals.
* Avoiding the unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. In these regions, all animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be thoroughly cooked before eating. Slaughtering of animals for consumption should be discouraged in farms affected by the outbreak.

Finally, I would like to invite you to join us during the inspection of facilities and services, which will end with an assessment of the VIP medical centre, spectators’ medical centre, players’ medical centre and doping centre room. I will then be in a position to give a complete picture on the province’s readiness for the tournament.

Thank you.

Enquiries:

Nobuntu Nkopane
Cell: 082 720 2384

Charity Bengu
Cell: 083 679 7424

Issued by: Department of Health, Free State Provincial Government
8 March 2010