Aviation experts discuss disease control
Aviation experts say efforts to strengthen our neighbouring countries' preparedness for public health outbreaks must be increased.
This has come out of a week-long conference by public health and aviation medicine specialists in Johannesburg, which sought solutions to curb the spread of communicable diseases through air travel.
Dr Lesego Bogatsu, specialising in Aviation Medicine says if this is not properly managed, it can result in health-related crises capable of wiping out a significant number of a country's population.
Bogatsu says crews right up to cabin attendants must be trained to identify communicable diseases.
"So that all the global communities are actually protected because with communicable diseases sometimes the passengers may not be symptomatic while they're flying and when they're arriving.
"So, they may be able to come into a country depending on the incubation period," she said.
(File photo)