In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Tajik Health Minister Jamoliddin Abdullozoda noted on July 24 that to-date, no one case of death of a doctor as a result of contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in a medical facility has been registered in Tajikistan.
“That is, there was no such thing that a doctor got infected in the workplace while treating a patient for COVID-19 and died of this. As an ordinary citizen of Tajikistan, a doctor could contract the disease outside, at home or in crowded places because of not observing hygienic and sanitary-epidemiological norms,” Abdullozoda said.
The minister, however, did not answer repeated question from journalists about the number of doctors having contracted the novel coronavirus.
On the coronavirus statistics in the country, he said that the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MoHSPP) was accurate, while the data provided by some websites and social networks is unreliable. “Because nobody can say whether it is coronavirus or not without lab tests,” Abdullozoda added.
Meanwhile, the COVID –19 Tajikistan Situation Report # 109 June 2020, which was produced by the Office of UN Resident Coordinator and OCHA HAT in collaboration with international partners and covers the period of June 2-8, 2020, says that Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population reported that as of June 8, 1,701 healthcare workers (36% of total official number) have been infected with COVID‐19 since the beginning of the outbreak, including 619 medical doctors and 548 nurses.
The main reason is reported to be the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly at the beginning of the outbreak.
