Stay at home, save the homeland: Minister

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz addressed the Afghan parliament, saying that carelessness, and failing to abide by recommended health practices, will make each citizen’s home vulnerable to the disease.

Feroz told the assembly that the true numbers of infections in the country are not known because not all patients with COVID-19 symptoms go to health centers. “I request that the people please stay at home, take the advice of the Ministry of Public Health seriously, and save the homeland,” added Feroz.

The Afghan Minister of Public Health criticized the members of the Wolesi Jirga (house of representatives) for their reckless behavior amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“Lack of attention, and the failure of respected MPs to listen to the messages of the Ministry of Public Health, is not going to help the country,” said Feroz.

Waheed Omer, an adviser to President Ghani, who went to the parliament with the health minister, said that 3.5 billion afghanis have been allocated to fight COVID-19, and added that soon several other billion afghanis will be available to fight the virus.

Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers have called for more government efforts, especially the Ministry of Health.

“The officials (minister and adviser) you called for questioning here, should be asked whether they only recommend the lockdown on paper, while people don’t have bread to eat?” said Sadiq Qadiri, a parliament member.

At the meeting, the Minister of Health spoke about the start of work on the ministry’s twenty-five fixed and mobile health teams in Kabul and said that about 300,000 beds are to be prepared for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

So far, 784 positive coronavirus cases have been reported in the country, with most of them in Herat and Kabul provinces. Twenty-six people have died as a result of the disease, and 43 have been recovered. (TOLOnews)