Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Health is keeping a 24-hour medical surveillance at the province’s airports to prevent the importation of major viral diseases such as the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever and Avian Flu into the province.
The department has established clinics at major ports of entry into the province which are OR Tambo International and Lanseria Airports.
According to the department, these clinics employ two doctors, 14 professional nurses and three administration staff, who carry out routine surveillance activities for 24 hours without disrupting trade or travel into the country.
All passengers arriving through the international arrivals are screened to rule out raised body temperatures. Infrared thermal scanners have been installed within the airport premises for this crucial purpose.
“Raised body temperatures are highly indicative of infectious conditions, passengers who are detected to have raised body temperatures are further assessed by clinic staff to rule out infectious condition.
“These infectious conditions may include formidable diseases like the Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, Malaria and the acute influenza illnesses like the Avian Flu,” said Gauteng Health MEC Papo.
Arriving passengers with symptoms and signs of respiratory conditions are isolated and investigated to rule out formidable respiratory conditions.
“In the year 2012, the OR Tambo clinic received an award for being one of the top performing viral watch sites in the country and this serves as an assurance that no disease will easily enter the country and cause harm to South Africans,” the MEC said.
One of the services provided by the two clinics is the provision of Yellow Fever vaccinations to travellers at a minimal cost compared to private clinics.
Since 2009, the OR Tambo clinic alone vaccinated more than 1 368 travellers against the disease. The clinic has also detected and referred over 200 Malaria cases for treatment.
Other services provided by the clinics include:
- disinfecting of aircrafts arriving from yellow fever and malaria endemic countries;
- free medical travel advice for members of the public travelling to or arriving from overseas;
- skeletal primary health care services to airport staff and employees which includes family planning, voluntary counselling and testing for HIV;
- routine counselling services, and routine diagnostic medical screenings.
The clinics also provide emergency care services such as hypertensive and diabetic emergencies, Acute Asthmatic attacks, acute gastroenteritis, acute respiratory infections, severe malaria, food poisoning, acute anxiety attacks, pulmonary embolism, obstetric emergencies to patients in and around the airport as the need arises and the busier OR Tambo clinic treats over 20 of such emergencies weekly.
The contact number for the clinic at OR Tambo Airport is 011 390 3006 and at Lanseria Airport it is 011 701 2077. – SAnews.gov.za
