Deputy Health Minister: Coronavirus Vaccination Started Late, Daily Deaths Could Reach 800
Iraj Harirchi, Deputy Minister of Health, acknowledging that vaccination against coronavirus started late in Iran, stated that 90 percent of the country’s cities are in a red situation in terms of coronavirus spread, and if guidelines are not followed, coronavirus death statistics could reach 800 people per day.
During a television program on Sunday evening, Mordad 10, he reported a 38 percent increase in deaths of coronavirus patients and said that currently an Iranian dies every 4 minutes, and in the next ten days we will also see an increasing trend.
According to the latest statistics from the Health Ministry, approximately 91,000 people have died from coronavirus, but previously Iran’s Medical System Organization estimated the actual death toll from coronavirus in Iran to be up to 4 times higher than the Health Ministry’s figures.
Mr. Harirchi said that currently only 39 percent of the Health Ministry’s protocols are being followed.
Saeid Namaki, Health Minister in Hassan Rouhani’s government, also requested “serious intervention” from Iran’s Supreme Leader and the Supreme National Security Council yesterday in a letter due to the dire situation caused by coronavirus spread in the country.
In Saeid Namaki’s letter, it stated that perhaps a two-week shutdown and deployment of “military and security forces” to take “firm” action against those violating health protocols could help control coronavirus.
Mr. Harirchi also confirmed reports regarding shortages of some basic facilities such as serum and promised that this problem will be resolved soon.
In recent days, with the escalation of the coronavirus crisis in Iran, many reports have been published about shortages of basic medical supplies such as serum as well as hospital bed shortages.
In this regard, Ali Rouhbakhsh, director of drug and controlled substance affairs at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, on Saturday while calling the drug situation “critical,” reported the absence of serum in hospitals in the city and warned about the lack of “Favipiravir” drug.
According to Mr. Rouhbakhsh, in addition to coronavirus drugs, the stock of “Betaferon” drug for MS patients and several types of chemotherapy drugs have also been limited.
Source: Radio Farda
