SA pink eye outbreak: Health Ministry urged to act fast
SITEKI – The Ministry of Health has been advised to promptly implement emergency preparedness response (EPR) programmes to mitigate the escalation of a pink eye outbreak in Durban South Africa.
Yesterday, South African online publication, IOL News, ran a story to the effect that at least 161 cases of pink eye had been detected in Durban.
Pink eye is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, a membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball.
Small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become swollen and irritated, and this causes the white part of the eye (sclera) to appear pink or red.
Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Secretary General (SG) Mayibongwe Masangane said the union was aware of the outbreak and urged government to promptly act and raise awareness to the nation, by introducing educational programmes that would include testing.
Masangane also mentioned that the Ministry of Health should increase monitoring programmes, like EPR, as many emaSwati travelled and resided in Durban. The SG said children were the most vulnerable, hence it was imperative that government should swiftly act and implement mitigation programmes.
Exposed
He said the disease spread through contact between two people with the other exposed to it.
“I am aware of the outbreak and government, through the Ministry of Health, has to do something before it escalates into the country, as there is a lot of movement between Eswatini and Durban. The EPR programmes should be implemented immediately, to ensure that emaSwati are safe from the virus. This is serious and needs urgent attention, before the bacteria spreads into the country through contact,” he said.
Director of Health Services Dr Velephi Okello said she was yet to get a report from the public health unit team about the outbreak of pink eye.
Her deputy, Dr Bongiwe Malinga said pink eye was often caused by a virus and spread through contact with an infected person and described it as more like flue. Malinga shared that the illness was also usually mild and self-limiting.
The doctor said people could avoid close contact with an infected person but that was not always obvious, since some people may still be in the early stages, with no pink eye visibility.
She added that pink eye may be infectious as it spread like flue and mentioned that there was not much that could be done in prevention, except avoiding close contact with an infected people.
“When one has acquired it, they need to go to the nearest health facility for care and allayed any fears saying it was like flue. A mild one and the nation should not panic,” she said.
Treatment
Meanwhile, with a pink eye outbreak confirmed in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health Medical Executive Committee (MEC) Nomagugu Simelane urged people to seek immediate treatment if they suspected that they may have contracted pink eye. Over the past weekend, Simelane said at least 161 cases had been confirmed within the eThekwini district.
Simelane urged those who had symptoms not to sit at home, but visit their nearest clinic.
“During the era of COVID-19, we had developed a number of habits that promoted good hygiene, such as regular hand washing with soap and water or sanitiser.
“Those are some of the things we need to re-orient ourselves with,” Simelane said when quoted by the publication.