Although Covid-19 is still considered a high threat around the world, the virus is no longer being taken seriously in Afghanistan as millions of people are facing economic problems.
According to the official numbers of the Ministry of Public Health, more than 7,000 people have died of the coronavirus since the outbreak in the country.
Citizens said that due to the looming economic crisis and high rate of poverty, they are paying less attention to the COVID-19’s threats.
“There have been war and misery in our country for the past 40 years. The COVID-19 will not affect us but this misery will kill us,” said a resident of Kabul.
“We come every day to work. There is nothing of COVID-19,” said a resident of Kabul.
The Afghan Japan Hospital said it receives more than 60 patients infected by the Covid-19 on a daily basis.
“The number of patients has increased over the last week. At least 60 patients are referred to us every day, from which we intake five to six people,” said Zalmai Rishteen, head of the Afghan Japan Hospital.
The MoPH also said it is planning to launch a COVID-19 vaccination campaign on May 28. “The WHO provided us with 120,000 test kits. The new machines which are needed have arrived in Kabul,” said Javid Hazhir, a spokesman for the MoPH.
The MoPH said that only five COVID-19 centers are currently active in the country.
At least 21 COVID-19 care centers have been closed across the country within the past six months due to financial issues, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said on Monday.
Numbers of patients infected by the new variants of the virus are now on the rise. The MoPH warned of a rapid increase of COVID-19 if the international community did not provide support to overcome the new wave of the virus.
“If the COVID-19 centers, also the centers for drug addicts, are not reactivated in the provinces and districts, the health sector in Afghanistan may deteriorate,” said Javid Hajir, a spokesman for the MoPH.
According to Hajir, 36 COVID-19 care centers were active before the fall of the former government, but at least 21 of them are closed now because of a lack of equipment and financial issues.—Tolonews
