During a press briefing earlier this week, WHO Health Emergencies Programme Director, Dr Mike Ryan, elaborated on South Africa’s collaboration with the global health body.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
CAPE TOWN – Parliament’s Health portfolio committee has applauded Minister Zweli Mkhize’s collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce South Africa’s COVID-19 burden.
A team of World Health Organization experts arrived in the country to support government’s outbreak response management last month.
During a press briefing earlier this week, WHO Health Emergencies Programme Director, Dr Mike Ryan, elaborated on South Africa’s collaboration with the global health body.
“It has been about sharing experiences, about getting communities on board, about improving surveillance, distributing surveillance deeper into community levels, increasing protection and traininng of health workers and ensuring that hospitals and health facilities don’t become epicentres of disease.”
Ryan stressed that collaboration between various experts, coupled with government’s efforts, had contributed to the reduction in new COVID-19 cases being recorded.
“It’s really good news that the number of cases has stabilised and is now dropping in South Africa but let me be clear that that is not down to the WHO, that is down to hard work of the front line workers of South Africa, the cooperation and commitment of the communities and the government.”
