U.S. Inhumane Sanctions Cause Suffering for People
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – Health minister says unilateral sanctions imposed on the country by the administration of US President Donald Trump are inhumane and cause suffering and pain for people.
Addressing the 73rd World Health Assembly through video-conference on Monday, Saeed Namaki said, “Any measure or policy, which would prevent cooperation among governments in the health sector, is irresponsible and inhumane.”
“There is no doubt that unilateral sanctions constitute an obstacle and are an inhumane measure, which brings about suffering and pain [for people],” the Iranian minister said, adding, “The United States must be held to account for the severe sanctions that have put the lives of Iranian people in jeopardy.”
He hailed the leading role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in supporting the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasized that the body deserves to be supported, not punished and criticized by certain countries.
Trump has claimed that the WHO had failed to disclose or respond to “credible” information in December that suggested the virus could be spread through human-to-human transmission.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian minister stressed the importance of boosting global solidarity and cooperation to contain the coronavirus pandemic, saying it is necessary that all countries have access to medicines and vaccine at an appropriate time and price.
He added that Iran has succeeded in decreasing the coronavirus death toll due to its extensive measures in the public health sector based on the approach that calls for the involvement of “the whole government and the whole society.”
The Iranian minister noted that some 78 million people have been screened for the coronavirus in the country in the first phase with the help of the strong infrastructure of Iran’s primary health care (PHC) system while over 22 million high-risk people have also been screened so far in the second phase.
Iran increased its laboratory capacities in outpatient clinics with the main focus being on screening the patients, social distancing, and timely treatment, and in doing this, the country gradually reopened businesses in order to prevent more harm to the country’s economy, he explained.
Meanwhile yesterday Head of Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health announced that in the last 24 hours, no patient infected with COVID-19 has died in 10 provinces.
Kianoush Jahanpour yesterday presented the latest statistics regarding the coronavirus.
He said, “According to the reports by laboratories across the country from yesterday to May 19, 2,111 new patients with COVID-19 were diagnosed in which the total number of infected people reaches 124,603.”
Among those number of people infected, 97,173 patients have recovered and have been discharged so far, Jahanpour added.
The Spokesman said, “Unfortunately, in the past 24 hours, 62 COVID-19 patients have lost their lives which is the least number during the last two months.
“Overall 7,119 people have lost their lives in the country to date,” the health official said.
He stated, “2,698 patients are in a critical condition.”
“So far, 716,176 COVID-19 diagnosis tests have been conducted in the country,” according to the spokesman.
In the last 24 hours, no patient infected with COVID-19 has died in 10 provinces and one case has been reported in 6 provinces.
The situation in Khuzestan is still red, but other provinces are relatively stable.
