SPCA offers to remove cats
THE SPCA in Vryheid has offered to remove the 150 feral cats at government hospitals.
This according to DA Health spokesperson Dr Imran Keeka, who said he had in the past raised the alarm to the Health Department about the cat infestations at these facilities.
“The safest way of dealing with the large cat populations at any facility is to catch, neuter and release them. This is the most humane approach,” he said.
Keeka said the cat infestation was a particular problem for state hospitals in Ladysmith, Emmaus and Vryheid.
“I have had a discussion previously with an organisation in Durban who volunteered to humanely manage the cat population at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital,” said Keeka.
Patients who used these government health facilities were placed at great risk by the large number of feral cats that had rapidly multiplied in and around hospitals.
“Not only is rabies a real threat, these animals have ticks and fleas and have the potential to transmit an infectious disease called toxoplasmosis, a condition that has the potential to lead to fatalities if neonates are infected, not to mention the possible fatal effects in adults,” he said.
Last week Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi appointed a task team to tackle the invasion of monkeys at RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth.
Last year, the Daily News reported that the monkeys were invading the wards and other parts of the hospital, stealing food from patients and compromising the sterile environment.
The monkeys reportedly entered the wards through open windows.
The patients’ lockers at the hospital could not be closed or locked, apparently making it easy for the monkeys to grab fruit and other food items.
Keeka said he welcomed Motsoaledi’s swift intervention and said he would be writing a letter to him asking for intervention with the cat and rat infestations as well.
Spokesperson for the KZN Department of Health Ncumisa Mafunda said: “The claims about cats at Vryheid Hospital are a blatant lie. There was a challenge which has somehow been largely dealt with, through the involvement of the SPCA and other stakeholders.
“At Ladysmith Hospital, management worked with an NGO to remove most of the cats.
“They left a few, however, because cats play a big role in the hospital’s ecosystem by getting rid of other unwanted animals.
“Due to the short deadline notice, the department is unable to comment regarding how Emmaus Hospital is dealing with the ‘situation’ and has asked for reports in this regard.”
Meanwhile, responding to the cat problem in Ladysmith, national Health spokesperson Popo Maja said the department encouraged health facilities to involve the SPCA whenever they encountered such problems with cats and dogs.
Speaking on the appointed task team to deal with the monkey issue at RK Khan Hospital, Maja said the task team included one deputy director-general from provincial Health, three environmental health specialists from the national department as well as the chief executive of RK Khan Hospital.