Opposition says timely garbage collection needed in fight against mpox

   

The parliamentary opposition says timely garbage collection will be necessary in the fight against mpox as the disease can be spread through rodents.

 

The World Health Organization declared that the outbreak of mpox in parts of Africa was a public health emergency of international concern.

 

At least 450 people died during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the disease has since spread to areas of central and east Africa.

 

The Ministry of Health says there is anticipated risk given that the country's borders remain open even as it makes preparation to combat the disease.

 

Junior Shadow Spokesperson for Health and Wellness Jesse James Clarke says rodents around the house can serve as a transmitter for the disease.

 

He's calling for the government to educate the public about the disease and to make a greater effort to address garbage collection. 

 

"We have to ensure that our environment is clean and that we have timely garbage collection, which has been a problem for us in recent times where the garbage collection is not as timely as it should be, but that has to be a critical part in our fight against the monkeypox outbreak that we are going to possibly face. Rodents can serve as a vector for the monkeypox virus, so we want to ensure that we eliminate them or reduce their population in our environment as close as possible," he urged. 

 

He also wants the Health Ministry to boost its capacity to isolate people and bolster security around those areas as well as the country's borders.