Covid-19 in Tunisia: the Minister of Health sacked at the height of contaminations
A Tunisian soldier injects a dose of vaccine into a patient in Kesra, 130 kilometers south of Tunis on July 13, 2021. AP - Saber Zidi
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
The Tunisian Minister of Health, Faouzi Mehdi, was sacked by Prime Minister Hicham Mechchi this Tuesday evening, July 20, at the height of coronavirus contamination.
This decision was announced in a concise statement from the presidency of the government, without further explanation.
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Faouzi Mehdi is at the origin of a vaccination initiative, these Tuesday and Wednesday, for all adults over 18 years old.
An announcement that caused a rush in the vaccination centers and very quickly all the places were taken.
The Ministry of Health then finally restricted access to the vaccine, this Wednesday, to over 40s to avoid a new crush.
The Tunisian Minister of Health was also criticized for having done nothing to alleviate the lack of oxygen.
Consumption increased from 25,000 liters per day before the pandemic to 250,000, ie ten times more.
Until recently, vaccine stocks were also limited.
Suddenly, only 8% of the 12 million Tunisians could be immunized.
Lack of material
The country has been hit for a while by a fourth wave of the pandemic and the lack of equipment makes the task of doctors and hospitals very difficult.
In the most affected areas, such as Tunis, private clinics have been seized to support public hospitals.
The country has recorded an average of 150 deaths per day since last week.
►Also read: Covid-19: Tunisians in the diaspora to the rescue of their country
Faced with the catastrophic health situation, Tunisia has stepped up calls for help.
She received oxygen and medical supplies from several Arab and European countries.
France has pledged to provide more than a million doses of vaccines.
600,000 doses have already arrived at their destination.
According to the WHO, Tunisia is the country with the highest death rate from Covid-19 in Africa and the Middle East.
Tunisia must be helped because it is a friendly country, a partner we love.
Tunisia is now very badly affected because for a while the health situation has become very difficult.
Jean-Pierre Sueur, French senator and president of the France-Tunisia interparliamentary friendship group
Houda Ibrahim
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Tunisia
Coronavirus
Health and medicine