COIVD-19: Govt Distributes 650mln Br & 2724 Ambulances to Regions, Hospitals
ADDIS ABEBA – The federal government has distributed a total of 650mln birr in support of regions and health centers effort to cure the spread of COVID-19, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health said.
The amount does not include the material support the ministry has given to them.
Dr. Tegen Legesse, communication director at the ministry, said the cash has been distributed over the past 100 days.
Of 650mln birr, 400 million birr has been given to regional and city administrations while the remaining 250 million birr channeled for federal hospital and supporting organization.
Over the past 100 days, bout 2, 724 ambulances have been distributed to regional and city hospitals.
The government has to spend over three billion birr to acquire the ambulances, according to Dr. Tegegn.
As per the WHO recommendation, the country has also prepared over 17,000 beds for COVID-91 patients in the isolation centers.
As of Tuesday, health officials have confirmed 4, 848 infection cases including 75 deaths.
Dr. Tegegn said the ministry is still working to increase the country’s testing capability after installing 32 laboratory centers across the nation.
“We have a plan to have 19 more laboratories so that the country can have a capacity to carry out 15,000 tests per day,” he said.
The country has no capability to test coronavirus when it confirmed its first case on March 13.
Apart from lab testing, the ministry has made the temperature of 32 million people checked over the past 100 days.
Access to ventilators has also increased, according to the Ministry.
According to the communication director, over 270 mechanical ventilators are currently giving services to diagnosed individuals across the country.
The government will soon distribute 100 more ventilators to health facilities while the purchase of 300 ventilators is on the process.
Despite all these efforts from the government side, Dr. Tegegn said the success of the fight against the virus depends upon each Ethiopian’s effort to stick with simple prevention measures.
“Many are now becoming accustomed to wearing face coverings and keeping their hygiene. But the level has not reached the level needed to combat the virus,” said Dr. Tegegn.
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By Mhret G/Kristos
Featured Image: Doctors attend a training session on how to use mechanical ventilators in Addis Ababa on April 1. [Photo: Michael Tewelde]
