Country’s health system very fragile, health official says

By PATRICIA KEAMO
COVID-19 response began six months ago and by now there should have been a more prepared counter but there are still many challenges, an official says.
National Pandemic Centre incident manager Dr Daoni Esserom said the pandemic revealed that the country’s health system was very fragile.
According to Esserom, more than 20,000 tests were conducted, with 511 people confirmed positive and the death toll remained at six.
“Thirteen of the 22 provinces have reported positive cases and there is community transmission taking place in NCD,” he said.
Esserom said everyone knew the immense challenges the country was in during the time the national response plan for Covid-19 was made. “At the back of our minds, we knew that we didn’t have the capacity, including the equipment such as ventilators if we experienced the devastation this disease was causing in other countries,” he said.
He said the country’s health facilities were not well-equipped but was receiving equipment through donations.