Cape Town - The Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Monday reassured parents that there are no processed meat products used as part
of the National School Nutrition Programme.
This followed Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi's announcement that Enterprise food production facility in Polokwane in Limpopo had been identified as the source of the current listeriosis outbreak.
The DBE said in a statement that the food served to over nine million pupils daily as part of the NSNP is safe and excludes the meat products fingered by Motsoaledi.
"Listeriosis is a serious disease that has already taken the lives of 180 people since January this year. However it is preventable and treatable. To this end the DBE has issued a circular to all provincial education departments and schools on measures to take in order to prevent the spread of listeriosis. We encourage teachers and parents to report to the nearest health care facility if learners present with diarrhoea, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of
balance and flu like symptoms. In instances where children are involved it is better to be safe than sorry as this is a preventable and treatable disease."