Iraqi Kurdistan’s health and interior ministers should be questioned over handling of coronavirus: official

2020-06-01 00:00:00 - Source: Iraq News

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health minister Saman Barzanji (left) and interior minister Reber Ahmed address the press, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, April 4, 2020. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw TV

SULAIMANI, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— A senior official in Sulaimani’s health directorate said on Monday that Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) should question the health and interior ministers over their handling of the coronavirus outbreak, given the surge in new cases.

“A number of wrong decisions were made earlier, which made people lose trust in the health directorates and [as a result] they did not abide by the [public health] guidelines,” Sulaimani General Health Directorate’s planning manager, Safin Rasul, told NRT TV.

“The Council of Ministers should start questioning and seek reform from the health and interior ministers because people who make wrong decisions in a time like this place a heavy burden on the nation,” he continued.

“The [KRG] Ministry of Interior had minimal consultation with the health [directorate] and governor in Sulaimani and announcing success over coronavirus in Duhok and Erbil shows that the threat was not studied properly,” he added.

Unlike the arguments made by some opposition parties, Rasul’s criticisms appeared to be based on public health grounds.

So far, and according to the KRG ministry of health there have been 728 cases of coronavirus in Iraqi Kurdistan. A total of 420 patients have recovered, and seven people have died.

On Sunday, health officials recorded 101 new cases of coronavirus infection in Sulaimani governorate and one additional death. There have been more than 300 new cases since May 13.

KRG minister of health says reason for increase in coronavirus cases is failure to follow public health guidelines

KRG Minister of Health Saman Barzinji said on Monday that the recent increase in the number of coronavirus infections in Iraqi Kurdistan Region is only an extension of the first wave out the outbreak.

“The second wave of infections has still not reached the Kurdistan Region,” Barzinji said during a press conference.

Barzinji said that the primary reason that infections increased is that people did not follow public health and safety regulations, like social distancing, after the government allowed businesses and other public places to reopen.

“The curfew and travel restrictions are the most important measures against the virus. When the situation returns to normal, then the curfew will be removed, but if the number of cases increases then we will take extreme measures,” he added, referring to the reimposition of a curfew on Monday.

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