Hon Speaker, while the number of deaths related to the H1N1 virus continues to increase, millions of South Africans are still in the dark about effective preventative measures in the absence of a national communication strategy. Recently, the Minister of Health conceded that his department had not done enough in communicating a coherent message to South Africans on the prevention and spread of the virus.
Notwithstanding the promises of the director-general at the Health portfolio meeting recently, effective preventative messages to South Africans have still not been communicated. Whilst we welcome the individual letters addressed to MPs in this House on the matter, we, as the ID, again call on the Minister to urgently implement a national communication strategy in respect of the spread of the H1N1 virus. I thank you.