The Health Minister for Libya’s eastern-based Interim Government, Saad Agoub, emphasized the need for private hospitals to prepare themselves to receive suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19. This is to help preserve the local healthcare and curb the spread of the epidemic.
Agoub’s remarks came during a meeting on Sunday with the head of the Medical Consultation Committee, Fathia Al-Uraibi, the head of the Medical Supply Authority, the ambulance and emergency apparatus, hospital directors, and specialized centers.
The meeting aimed to monitor the progress of work and the necessary medical services for infected cases. The meeting also included a discussion of some of the measures addressed by the Ministry of Health to treat suspected cases, as well as those suffering from other diseases.
The officials discussed the latest measures undertaken and the continuous coordination with the ambulance and emergency services on how to transfer suspected cases. The procedures included establishing a distinct mechanism for clinical isolation centers and assigning all hospital administration managers to the Health Ministry in order to communicate with the laboratories to counter the virus.
The Minister also called on all municipalities and medical advisory committees to adhere to isolation measures. They should implement these precautionary steps and halt travel to other cities except for emergencies until the threat recedes.
Agoub said that all infected cases were subject to medical care according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Minister of Health confirmed that the ‘Supreme Committee to Combat Coronavirus’ continued to follow up on the situation and undertook all necessary preventive measures.
Agoub was briefed on the technical procedures followed by the monitoring, investigation, and rapid response teams in diagnosing, isolating, and treating suspected cases, as well as controlling medications.
The Minister of Health said he appreciated the measures adopted by the government and the General Command of the Armed Forces, as well as the steps taken by the the Ministry of Interior to collaborate with the Ministry of Health in confronting the pandemic.