Madam Speaker, the ANC believes that mental, physical and social health should improve for its own sake and as a major contribution to increasing prosperity and the quality of life for all our people.
In the past few weeks, there have been 131 cases of a highly infectious and notifiable viral disease that have been confirmed through laboratory tests. Most of these cases were people between the ages of four months and 38 years, with the median age being 13 years.
The Department of Health has urged parents to immunise their children after a number of measles cases were reported in the country. They are urged to bring their children for immunisation even if they have received all their measles vaccines. School children will be immunised at schools, and parents are asked to complete and return consent forms obtained from the schools.
The ANC will accelerate campaigns on health promotion and disease prevention by changing social values and norms through common community action. Furthermore, communities are encouraged to adopt healthy diets, exercise and take part in campaigns against drugs, substance abuse and obesity. I thank you. [Applause.]