Health minister warns of catastrophic Covid-19 situation

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has expressed deep concern over the growing number of coronavirus patients and warned that the country will witness more dangerous situation in coming four months.

Addressing reporters here Acting Health Minister Dr. Waheed Majroh said the ongoing third wave was more threatening and dangerous compared to the second wave of the pandemic.

He added lately instead of a decline in the number of positive cases in the country the cases grew and more people were dying due to the pandemic.

He said prompt testing of coronavirus samples had been launched and daily 1,000 to 3,000 samples were tested.

Majroh said in the first category Kabul, Baghlan, Kunduz, Kandahar, Uruzgan, MaidanWardak, Pansher, Faryab and Badghis provinces witnessed surge in the number of positive cases, hinting that health ministry may impose lockdown in these provinces.

“There is no signal for a decline in positive coronavirus cases and the country may go through a difficult situation in the coming four weeks.” He assured the masses that MoPH was completely prepared to tackle the situation.

He said the ministry was not facing shortage of beds and other equipment and only there was the shortage of oxygen. Seven companies in the country were producing oxygen and their capacity was 3,5000 cylinders.

He added the companies were delivering 200 to 300 oxygen cylinders to Afghan-Japan Hospital, 20 to 30 cylinders to Mohammad Ali Jinnah Hospital, some to Qasaba Hospital and the remaining to private hospitals.

Due to increase in demand, the price of oxygen cylinders had also surged, he added.  The acting health minister urged masses to wear masks and adhere to other health measures in order to curtail the spread of coronavirus.

NelabMubarez, acting head of Jamiat-e-HelalAhmar, said they will hand over all its clinics and other infrastructure at the disposal of MoPH to use them for rehabilitation of coronavirus patients.

nh/ma