Opinions & Interviews

WHO mission issues recommendations for Belarus

MINSK, 21 April (BelTA) – The mission of the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued recommendations for Belarus following its visit to the country on 8-11 April, BelTA learned from the WHO website.

Belarus has already taken coronavirus containment measures – testing suspect cases, tracing their contacts and isolating the sick. It has also placed emphasis on increasing capacity to manage the surge in COVID-19 patients, while continuing with essential health services for chronic diseases, maternal health and mental health. The WHO mission believes that with community transmission established, it is important to complement these interventions with physical distancing measures.

The WHO commended Belarus for repurposing enterprises to produce protective equipment for healthcare workers. According to Head of the WHO mission Dr Patrick O’Connor, this is very much needed in countries across the European Region and the globe. “The attention Belarus is placing on this critical issue is indeed remarkable,” he observed. Dr Patrick O’Connor added that with each country mission conducted, WHO experts are learning how to better respond to COVID-19. The mission to Belarus will also help them assist other countries.

The WHO recommendations for Belarus included maintaining strong commitment to the implementation of a set of containment and mitigation measures, providing clear, transparent and regular information about the risks, and continuing essential health services and socioeconomic support for those in need, especially the most vulnerable.

The WHO mission arrived in Belarus at the invitation of President Aleksandr Lukashenko to assess the situation, the measures and approaches to medical care in the country. The WHO experts visited healthcare facilities of Minsk, Minsk Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast.

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