Prospect of an epidemic causes controversy in Mauritius

Written by Editor Wednesday, 11 August 2010 11:08

News Articles - Current Affairs

Health Minister Maya Hanoomanjee was attacked in the National Assembly by the Opposition leader, Paul Bérenger for allegedly covering up the impact of swine flu (A/H1N1) epidemic in Mauritius.

It has been reported that some 128 suspected cases of the flu visited various regional hospitals though the Health Minister denies this figure. She said that report of six deaths was exaggerated and blamed the media for spreading false news. They have been writing stories without proof and evidence, she said.

Vaccination against this scourge is available in the five regional hospitals of the island.The Ministry of Health has decided to stop recording the number of deaths caused by the virus, a decision which is criticized by many medics and medical associations such as the Private Practitioner’s Association (PMPA). These professionals argue that reliable statistics can help understand better the evolution of the disease in the island. The statistics can also be useful to the World Health Organization for comparison with situations prevailing in other countries.