Algeria is recording an upsurge in cases of patients with Covid-19. The authorities are multiplying contradictory decisions by closing terraces and parks but allowing the resumption of Friday prayers in mosques, suspended for nine months.
Hospitals have been in the red zone since the end of October. After a marked drop in the daily cases of contamination with the coronavirus with an average of 300 cases per day during the month of August, the statistics have rebounded significantly to reach 642 people infected and 14 deaths, this Monday, November 9.
Algeria has joined the club of countries whose head of state has been infected with Covid-19. Emergency evacuated on October 28, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was hospitalized in a specialized establishment in the city of Cologne in Germany. In the meantime, in some Algerian hospitals, the situation has become unmanageable.
This is the case of the city of Jijel (350 km east of Algiers) where the nursing staff is facing an unprecedented influx of infected patients. The health context is such that Dr Mohamed Rouibah, anesthesiologist in the main hospital in the region, appealed for help to members of the diaspora from Jijel. The doctor reports a lack of artificial respiration equipment as well as means of protection for hospital staff.
Emergency action plan
But the wali (prefect) of Jijel did not at all accept the blackboard drawn up by doctor Mohamed Rouibah, nor even his appeal for donations. Thursday, November 5, he decided to dismiss the anesthesiologist. A measure which provoked the anger of the medical staff of this hospital which immediately went on strike to demand its cancellation. For his colleagues, terminating the duties of this resuscitation specialist in these times of pandemic will have dramatic consequences. The hospital director ultimately refused to implement the wali’s decision.
For their part, the authorities have decided to launch an “emergency action plan” to contain the spread of the coronavirus. During a meeting with members of the government, held on Thursday, November 5, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad indicated that this program was structured around three axes: ” Strengthening preventive measures in its health and security aspects, a more efficient communication strategy and a stronger awareness of citizens, and the rigorous application of coercive regulatory provisions. ”
“The regroupings of all kinds and the non-observance of health protocols in different places – in particular means of transport, shops and public spaces – were the main factors which caused the resurgence of cases of clusters and favoured the rapid virus, ”said the official press release from the Prime Minister.
For the government, this increase in cases of contamination is due, above all, to a ” relaxation of the population “.
Restrictive measures
Abdelaziz Djerad also decided to extend the curfew in 29 wilayas (departments), including the capital.
From this Tuesday, November 10, it starts at 8 pm – instead of 11 pm – until 5 am. For its part, the prefecture of Algiers has imposed new more restrictive measures: closure of all parks and places of relaxation, ban on consumption in cafes and restaurants including on terraces. It must be said that currently, the worst for Algerians would be to return to stricter containment, as was the case at the start of the pandemic. Such a situation would be catastrophic for the economy.
But public opinion does not understand certain decisions of the authorities, which risk accelerating the spread of the coronavirus. This is particularly the case with the resumption of Friday prayers in mosques which had been banned since March. In Algiers, this initiative coincided with the opening of the Great Mosque, a monumental religious building that can accommodate 120,000 faithful.
For the first Friday of this month of November, “only” 10,000 people were allowed to come and pray there.
Back against the wall
Doctor Fawzi, a resuscitator in a hospital in the capital, explains that the authorization in mosques for Friday prayers does not correspond to any logic. According to him, ” the constitutional referendum (of November 1), the start of the school year for middle and high school students as well as the resumption of Friday prayers ” are the three important events of this beginning of the month which risk worsening the health situation in the next days.
“The medical staff will not be long in suffering the effects when the situation is already very complex. We are back to the wall. Our service has been crowded for several days. There is not a single free bed. Unfortunately, places often become available after death. On average, we lose one patient per day, ”explains the doctor.
The resuscitator says other hospital departments, including endocrinology and internal medicine, have been turned into Covid departments. In addition to the large influx of patients, Dr Fawzi has found that in many cases, the symptoms are more severe. “ Unlike the first wave we experienced in the spring, we are seeing in our department the arrival of patients with very low oxygen saturation levels and who require immediate intensive care,” he says.
Currently, many hospitals in the country are saturated, forcing healthcare workers to find solutions to save as many lives as possible.
“Our goal is not to leave patients without oxygen, even if they are not in a Covid ward,” says Dr Fawzi.
The resuscitator is keen to remain optimistic, even though he expects difficult weeks.
