Tuzla respects WHO recommendations, has enough tests, no infected individuals

By Rasim Belko

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The number of coronavirus tests and who is responsible for their procurement in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a complete enigma. Officials talk a lot, order, comment, but it is almost impossible to obtain certain information. 

Some individuals do not answer the phone, KCUS does not respond to emails, and this has been going on for some time. 

Without wishing to cause any panic, we tried to obtain accurate data from three clinical centers. Only one responded, UKC Tuzla, whose spokesperson Ersija Aščerić Mujedinović told us that in the Tuzla Canton, only the Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health makes statements. 

And in all of this, an incredible situation. Just 10 minutes after calling the TK Crisis Staff, the Minister of Health and President of the TK Crisis Staff, Dajana Čolić, responded.

“UKC Tuzla is responsible for procuring tests. However, yesterday I spoke with the director of UKC Tuzla, and there were over 200 tests in stock. It should be known that one test can be used for five samples according to procedures,” Čolić answers Patria’s question from the beginning of the article. 

She adds that the humanitarian organization EMMAUS donated between 96 and 98 tests to UKC Tuzla.

“Procurement of protective equipment, medical devices, and tests is currently underway through the Cantonal Civil Protection Staff of TK. We currently have no problems with that,” Čolić tells the Patria agency. 

When asked about the current situation in TK, the Minister of Health of this canton says:

“I am glad that I can say this, and God willing, I will repeat it for a long, long time, we have no positive test results.”

“As of yesterday, we had 51 tests, two for Orašje, and 1 for Brčko District. All were negative. Samples are still being taken in the field according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, and tests will be conducted in the afternoon. For rationalization, when we collect five tests, we conduct them and issue a notice about the infection situation,” Čolić points out. 

According to the situation report from this morning at 8 AM, 3,045 people are in home isolation, and she adds that an increase in this number is expected as isolation orders are still arriving.

“We still have people returning to TK. Many do not comply with isolation orders. Therefore, we will most likely ask local communities to organize themselves to identify those who do not comply with isolation orders. Because in the local communities, they know where everyone lives. They will provide us with information, so we know where to send the police and sanitary inspectors, as it is physically impossible to manage with the large number of people,” concludes the Minister of Health and President of the TK Crisis Staff, Dajana Čolić. 

Dajana Čolić should be a guide for all other ministers, heads of staff, and directors of clinical centers. 

Professionally, by mastering all the data, she showed that it can be done. 

Why others do not do so, I do not know. We sent inquiries to the Ministry of Health of FBiH, the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, and the University Clinical Hospital Mostar. We called the President of the KS Crisis Staff, Aida Pilav, several times. We did not receive answers by the time this article was finalized. 

And then they say that “the media should not panic.” Now I ask them if we wrote anything panicked in Dajana Čolić’s statement. 

Gentlemen, why are you running away from journalists?

That way, you will cause chaos much sooner than if you respond, think about what you are saying, master the data, and explain to the public what and how. 

Journalists, gentlemen, are not monsters, but people working in the public interest. Enable them to do their job, be responsible to the public.