Hospitals and nurses must start discussing and planning about the care, isolation and PPE’s…
BY SINDISWA NGCOBO – National Coordinator at DENOSA Bargaining, Organising and Campaigns (BOC) Unit.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has just declared monkeypox (mpox) as a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations due to the growing number of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other African countries. The Africa Centre for Disease Control (C.D.C) has confirmed mpox case in 13 countries!
According to WHO, mpox can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets, and through contaminated objects.
What would spread this disease faster is the stigma as it is associated with man-to-man sexual intercourse and new or multiple partners without using condoms. Most people will hide in their homes due to fear of being discriminated or labelled. We also know that African countries are living below the economic border line, which means that the lack of stable diet, lack of clean water, poor ablution system and poor housing will play a serious role in contamination and eventually spreading the disease.
Should we then be concerned as nurses about this emergence of MPOX? The answer is an emphatic yes. We are global citizens and the negative impact of being globalised, in medical view, is that we are not immune to any Epidemic or Endemic that are reported in our neighbouring countries due to interconnectedness through travelling. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported more cases and still counting. Within the next few months, it is anticipated that South Africa will start to report more cases of mpox.
We should therefore not be found wanting when mpox gets declared as pandemic. The hospitals are supposed to be in discussions and planning about the care, isolation and PPE’s. Covid 19 should have at least taught the employer on how to be proactive rather than being reactive with the plans.
We urge members to prepare themselves by doing the following:
- Make sure that your immune system is always boosted through healthy diet, exercise, sufficient rest and flu vaccine.
- Be updated about Mpox through researching. Don’t wait to be updated by the employer.
- Report all suspicious cases to the management in time. Remember, your role is to advocate for patients.
- Demand to have an active Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) representative, who will make sure that all prevention measures are in place and implemented.
- Know and report to your DENOSA shop steward all the practices that might put your health at risk.
New Pandemics are going to be a phenomenon from now as the population increases in an alarming rate. So, the new diseases are going to be discovered.
We must always be ahead of any unforeseen.
