• Home
  • Announcements
  • Contact
  • Documents
  • Events
  • Gov’t Achievements
  • UNC Councillors
  • Home
  • News
    • Commentary
    • Letters
    • Press Releases
    • Speeches
    • Testimonies
  • About UNC
    • Political Leader
    • UNC Founder
    • UNC Natex
  • Gallery
    • Projects
    • Video Gallery
  • Links
  • Live Stream
  • Meet The Candidates
  • Youth Arm
  • UNC-PLAN2020
HEADLINES
Message from the Leader of the Opposition on the occasion of Easter 2021
Kamla: The Rowley PNM’s vaccine fiasco has shot T&T in the foot
Leader of the Opposition: Let the crucifixion of Christ inspire us to selflessly love each other
Message from the Leader of the Opposition on the occasion of Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day 2021
Kamla: Economy suffering from Colm Virus
MP Hosein: Government raiding HSF under guise of Covid-19 relief
Kamla – Rowley has confessed he made a mess of the COVID19 vaccine acquisition
MP Mohit: Faris Joins Vigil, Hypocritical, Bring Pepper Spray Legislation Now
UNC Women’s Arm to Ayanna: Fix Keith and his friends first
Kamla to loafing Government: Useless Public relations propaganda will not solve crime.

Statement by Dr. Khan regarding the Zika Pandemic

Posted On 01 Feb 2016
By : Admin

Fuad_KhanOver the past weekend, and following the decision by the Minister of Health to issue a Public National Health Emergency with regards to the Zika virus, I have been bombarded by citizens, both locally and abroad, who have shared their confusion and fears regarding the threat of this pandemic. This is fueled by the fact that no confirmed cases of the virus has been reported on either island, as such, by making such a premature pronouncement, this is only causing fear and hysteria, especially during this Carnival season. Many of the persons I have spoken with were concerned that they should no longer return to their homeland, or take part in the festivities, based on the heightened state of alert the government has placed on the nation. While the menace and the manifestation of the disease does in fact warrant a state of increased vigilance to prevent it from spreading to our country however, to date, the government has stood-fast to their decision to contain and minimize the transmission of the virus after it enters our shores, rather than place any effort into protecting our citizens from its invasion of our country.

It is at times such as these, I am reminded of the Polio outbreak of 1972, when Carnival was suspended to prevent the spread of the disease, which should be at least be considered for the safety of our population. This is reinforced by the recent discovery that the virus may also be transferred in the form of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), thereby expanding the transmission system of the virus from an exclusively vector-based one, to a person-to-person delivery method. This means the the process to eliminate the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that is being carried out throughout the country may eventually prove to be ineffective, if mosquitoes are not the only means by which this virus can travel.

Further to this however, is that the PNM administration seems to be taking an extremely lethargic position in protecting the nation from exposure to a virus that has prompted other governments to issue warnings to their citizens to prevent them from reproducing for up to two years, as a countermeasure to its symptoms. The threat of babies contracting Microcephaly as a congenital effect from this virus while they are still in their mother’s womb is frightening enough to warrant that countries affected by the Zika virus would initiate a two year contraceptive period to prevent an entire generation from contracting this defect. The number of cases in Brazil alone is approximately four thousand babies being born with this condition since October 2015, and global health organizations are now urging their government to remove their ban on abortions, to allow mothers the opportunity to terminate their pregnancy if they believe that their child may have contracted this defect.

At this time, there are no vaccines for the Zika virus, nor Microcephaly, and as such, the only way to ensure that our citizens are fully protected from either of these diseases is to prevent Zika from entering our country. While Mr. Deyalsingh has responded faineantly by stating that screening procedures may not be able to detect visible indicators of the virus in persons who only recently contracted it, by monitoring travel itinerary of persons who are attempting to enter our borders however, we can identify persons who pose the highest risk based on their contact with countries already affected by the virus, and can therefore examine them more intensively, before allowing them access to our unsuspecting population. While these measures may seem extreme however, when placed in perspective of the consequences that we may face should this virus infect our nation, we may find that end justifies the means, if it ensures the health, safety and well-being of our citizens and future generations.

Thank you.

Dr. Fuad Khan
Member of Parliament for the Barataria/San Juan Constituency

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • google-share
Previous Story

Foreign ministry in near disarray

Next Story

Padarath calls for the Establishment of a Sex Offender’s Registry

PRESS RELEASES

UNC congratulates TTs Althea Alexis – Windsor on her election as a judge of the ICC

The UNC congratulates Ms. Althea Alexis-Windsor on her recent election as a judge of the ICC. Her CV and credentials are impeccable and most
Posted On 26 Dec 2020

Rowley Remains Confused: PNM Crashed Everything Long Before Covid

After the Prime Minister addressed the nation today from his home in Tobago, one would notice that the picture he has painted of his
Posted On 25 Oct 2020

UNC calls for clarification on new ‘shutdown’ army powers

The United National Congress has taken note of the new measures announced by the Government regarding a two week shutdown of the country’s
Posted On 27 Mar 2020

UNC calls for calm as T&T’s first Covid-19 case is confirmed

The United National Congress is calling for calm and urging citizens to follow the guidelines of public health officials in taking steps to
Posted On 13 Mar 2020

UNC: T&T at boiling point – Rowley’s Government must go

Like the rest of the population, the United National Congress is alarmed over the recent spate of violence in the country.  This Rowley-led
Posted On 17 Jan 2020

COMMENTARY

WATER SUPPLY A NATIONAL CRISIS

BY Ken Ali When large communities in central and south Trinidad are denied a water supply for weeks, while urban areas get a constant free flow,
Posted On 29 Apr 2019

Lying Keith Rowley and Sinanan can’t get their maths right

By Capil Bissoon Prime Minister Kei­th Row­ley was being dishonest and deliberately mislead the population by saying that the entire Curepe
Posted On 21 Feb 2019

Media Should be More Vigilant with Galleons Passage

By Capil Bissoon I refer to your story in yesterday’s edition of the Trinidad Express captioned “Has the work started” with regards to the
Posted On 10 Jun 2018

GAS AND GROWTH IN 2018

By Kevin Ramnarine For the last two decades, the Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) economy can best be described as a “gas based economy”. When
Posted On 20 Dec 2017

Speeches

Rowley’s Mad Power Grab in Tobago

My friends, we are seeing a government that is in freefall – in every single sector. Health, National Security, the business sector. And what
Posted On 16 Feb 2021

Presentation of UNC general election candidates 2020

T&T family! UNC family! It is my absolute pleasure to speak with you today, as we get ready for the sweeping victory that is to come on
Posted On 19 Jul 2020

Kamla: My vision is to build an intelligent nation

“ON THE BALLOT” UNC VIRTUAL MEETING (June 25, 2020) Introduction Good evening and thank you for joining us once again as we continue to set the
Posted On 26 Jun 2020

MNF – Kamla: There is hope

Introduction Good evening T&T! Good evening UNC family!  It is good to be back! 2020 we are ready to rumble! Are you ready? Even though it’s
Posted On 11 Mar 2020

Press Releases

UNC congratulates TTs Althea Alexis – Windsor on her election as a judge of the ICC

The UNC congratulates Ms. Althea Alexis-Windsor on her recent election as a judge of the ICC. Her CV and credentials are impeccable and most
Posted On 26 Dec 2020

Rowley Remains Confused: PNM Crashed Everything Long Before Covid

After the Prime Minister addressed the nation today from his home in Tobago, one would notice that the picture he has painted of his
Posted On 25 Oct 2020

UNC calls for clarification on new ‘shutdown’ army powers

The United National Congress has taken note of the new measures announced by the Government regarding a two week shutdown of the country’s
Posted On 27 Mar 2020

UNC calls for calm as T&T’s first Covid-19 case is confirmed

The United National Congress is calling for calm and urging citizens to follow the guidelines of public health officials in taking steps to
Posted On 13 Mar 2020

Letters

Keith Rowley has betrayed the sanctity of Parliament

Dear Editor, The revelation by the Commissioner of Police that the emails which Keith Rowley, then Opposition Leader read in our nations
Posted On 19 Jul 2019

T&T owes Kamla a debt of gratitude

Kamla Persad-Bissessar did what many were not expecting… she and her MPs voted unanimously with the Government to ensure passage of the Civil
Posted On 09 Apr 2019

Unity and Coalition are different things

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar has faced some stinging criticism relative to her declaration at the UNC’s National Assembly that the
Posted On 01 Feb 2019

Three years of Rowley’s Rule

This is a particularly reflective time for Trinidad and Tobago having just observed our 56th year of Independence. This week, on September 7,
Posted On 03 Sep 2018
Copyright © - 2019 United National Congress
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.