Officials to provide concrete answers on FBiH's readiness to deal with coronavirus

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Goran Akšamija, a representative of Narod i Pravda in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, has submitted a parliamentary question regarding the readiness of institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of BiH to adequately respond to the current coronavirus situation. Akšamija asked whether the Federal Ministry of Health of FBiH already has a preparedness plan for the newly emerging novel coronavirus epidemic (2019 n CoV), should it appear in our region, which healthcare institution will be the central point for treating patients, and where will mildly ill patients be accommodated?

Furthermore, Akšamija also asked officials about the possibilities of diagnosing this disease in our conditions and securing the necessary diagnostic materials.

“I also ask to be informed about the capabilities of leading healthcare institutions such as KCUS, UKC Tuzla, and SKB Mostar regarding the following: the current number of available capacities in Infectious Disease Clinics for accommodating this type of patient, whether there are separate intensive care units capable of caring for patients with severe infectious diseases, what are the possibilities of establishing isolation units (quarantine) and whether there are designated spaces for them, i.e., where these patients can be isolated in case of a massive influx, and how many ventilators these institutions have, which are essential for treating all severe cases of this disease?” Goran Akšamija’s parliamentary question states.

In his explanation, Akšamija pointed to the increasing number of cases of the novel coronavirus, which is spreading beyond its primary source, and the first cases are already appearing in our vicinity, with a very high possibility of its appearance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially due to the presence of foreign nationals coming from these affected regions.

“I believe that all necessary preventive measures should be taken for a prompt response in case this situation arises and to be prepared with the necessary response. I particularly want to emphasize that the appearance of this disease among clustered migrants in our country will lead to a widespread outbreak of this disease, with a high percentage of fatalities. I believe this issue needs to be approached with the utmost seriousness, and I hope I will not receive a superficial answer about the constant coordination of the FBiH Institute for Public Health and the MCP, as well as other involved institutions, without specific measures being outlined,” Akšamija stated.