AFGHANISTAN. Kabul: On Wednesday, Afghanistan recorded deaths of 27 COVID-19 patients and registered 1,118 new positive cases. Now, as the country deals with the third wave of COVID-19, the hospitals face a lack of oxygen and beds for patients.
“Patients are consulting the hospital who are in a very critical condition, we are trying our best to address their needs, but we face shortcomings like the shortage of beds,” Mohammad Tariq, a doctor in a COVID-19 hospital in Kabul told TOLO News.
“We don’t see any problem except the shortage of oxygen,” said Farhad, a patient’s visit.
The Afghan Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday said that it has grave concerns regarding the lack of oxygen in the hospitals as the number of new patients continue to soar.
The ministry stated that the COVID-19 outbreak will reach its peak in the next two weeks.
Wahid Majro, the Acting Minister of Public Health Ministry said that the lack of oxygen will turn into a serious issue if the situation continues like this.
Majro added that the UNICEF and Agha Khan Foundation had pledged to provide oxygen and other facilities. But they have not acted upon their promises yet.
“UAE is going to send an oxygen production machine for Afghan-Japan hospital in Kabul which will help ease the issue,” Majro added.
A relative of a COVID-19 patient in Afghan-Japan hospital told Etilatroz Newspaper that the hospital ran out of oxygen two nights ago, and the patients didn’t receive enough oxygen.
He also said that the hospital is able to provide only one room for every 12 patients and a nurse which is not sufficient.
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Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry spokesman has rejected the claims of “oxygen shortage”.
Meanwhile, the health experts have questioned the government’s strategy in the fight with the virus.” The government has failed to come up with a clear policy when it comes to measures for people to follow in gatherings and public places such as wedding halls, restaurants, and hotels,” the officials added.
Last week, the Afghan government announced a two-week shutdown of schools and universities across 16 provinces.
The ministry reported that the cumulative total of known COVID-19 cases is 75,144, the total number of reported deaths is 3,034, and the total number of recoveries is 57,963.
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