WHO advises to test, test, test, what is Bosnia and Herzegovina doing - sir, go into isolation!

By Amina Čorbo-Zećo

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Four confirmed cases of coronavirus in Konjic, linked to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Igman company from Konjic on March 11, have caused panic among those who attended the ceremony, as well as their families. 

Among them is a fellow journalist, a contributor to Patria. He is calling, his question is simple, what should he do. Deeply aware of the fact that he has since contacted hundreds of people.

We direct him to one of the phone numbers, and then begins what Dr. Dragan Stevanović talked about – the patient's journey is not determined, there is chaos, and our colleague walked from the Health Center, from tent to tent, until he finally got an epidemiologist who advised him to go home into self-isolation.

"Madam, can I get tested, what kind of isolation?!", is the logical question, given the fact that he was in contact with a large number of people, and previously with an infected person.

The answer quickly followed, there are no tests. While the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that along with so-called "social distancing", which is welcome and necessary, all countries must invest more effort and resources to enable testing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have no idea about the situation on this issue.

"We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test everyone who is suspected of having COVID19," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gebrejesus, Director-General of the WHO, during a press briefing.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, only the privileged twelve, čovići, novalići... are tested. I wouldn't be surprised if they already have a reserved respirator for God forbid.

Several pharmacies told Patria that testing is exclusively within the jurisdiction of KCUS and no one else can procure tests. This is what pharmacists from sales claim.

Information is also lacking on where people are being tested and who is being tested. Some say in Zenica and Mostar, some only in Sarajevo, but the amount of information the media has is confusing and ultimately unusable. They never manage to schedule two media briefings a day and appoint a person who will communicate with the public twice a day and provide regular reports.

This way, whoever is on good terms with Sebija Izetbegović confirms the number of new infections for them, the media publishes it, and that's clicks. At the same time, none of the colleagues ask about the hundred things that are unclear.

An example can be found in Republika Srpska, Minister Alen Šeranić is very diligent there – he addresses the public twice a day. Read again, minister. Not the director of a hospital or clinical center.

Here, the minister must take the lead. At the state level, it is Ankica Gudeljević (HDZ), she was talking about something today, more like reading poetry, probably following the example of her colleague Jelka Milićević, who has only now realized that there is a crisis.

In the Federation, it is some Mandić, we wouldn't even know who he is if it weren't for the unfortunate corona. What's his name, it doesn't even matter.

Get serious, people, you who lead us. If you don't know how, copy it, put aside your egomaniacal behavior. Tell us the truth, do you have tests, are they lacking, if you have them, why didn't you test people who were definitely with infected individuals.