Hon Chairperson, the IFP has noted with relief that according to the World Health Organisation, WHO, the swine flu virus has not yet mutated into a more serious disease and the development of vaccines is proceeding on track.
The IFP believes that South Africa should not derive any false comfort from the WHO statement, as welcome as it is. Too often, medical interventions are a reaction after the horse has bolted. It would be good if the Minister of Health clarified the Department of Health's strategy.
The IFP, however, calls upon the Department of Health to clarify which segments of the population were being targeted to receive the vaccine, and how the vaccine would be distributed. We further note that the Department's budget is dangerously overstretched. The IFP also calls upon the Minister of Health to clarify if global funding has been requested or negotiated to assist South Africa with the roll-out of the H1N1 vaccine. I thank you. [Applause.]