Vaccination denialists, conspiracy theorists pose risk to eradicating global diseases - Motsoaledi
This is according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi who spoke to the media on Tuesday about ongoing global talks following a fresh outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus in China.
FILE. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Picture: GCIS.
JOHANNESBURG - Vaccination denialists and conspiracy theorists pose a risk to eradicating global diseases and pandemics.
This is according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi who spoke to the media on Tuesday about ongoing global talks following a fresh outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus in China.
The World Health Assembly’s Intergovernmental Negotiation Body is mulling over what must be done should another global pandemic hit.
READ: Motsoaledi warns South Africans to brace for more pandemics amid HMPV outbreak in China
The virus has swept across parts of northern China, mainly affecting children under 14 years presenting COVID-19-like symptoms.
Motsoaledi said vaccination denialists have always existed, citing several countries that, to date, have refused to take polio vaccinations.
He said in the 1980s, the World Health Assembly successfully eradicated smallpox through an extensive global vaccination drive.
“If we listened to the vaccine denialists, I can tell you smallpox would have annihilated people. By the time that vaccine of smallpox was found 300 million people were already dead. That’s quite scary. So, anybody who says vaccines do not work, with their conspiracy theories, we mustn’t listen to them. We’ll be finished. That I can assure you.”
He said authorities are paying close attention to the developments in China and South Africa has been engaging with its counterparts in the World Health Assembly.