Tunisia – The State does not appear to understand the urgency of the situation

The epidemiological situation of COVID-19 being what it is in Tunisia, and its gravity no longer necessitates demonstration. The state authorities appear to be the sole ones not to apprehend the gravity of the situation and the urgency it professes.

Everyone is panicking and for good reason! Nursing staff are at the end of their tether. They are tired and can’t take it anymore. They were, more than anyone hit hard by the virus. Hospitals, for the preceding weeks and private clinics, are saturating more than 100% of their capacity. No longer a single resuscitation bed and even less oxygen are available. The number of patients is hitting a new record daily. The dead are many. Doctors are concerned because they are seeing more and more critical cases that are deadly. Oxygen is lacking, like many medicines. Vaccines are delayed, while many other nations have already started their vaccination campaigns.

The Minister of Health does not respond and does nothing. Additionally, one cannot decently, ask something of a minister who understands he is leaving. His collaborators do not understand where to turn between their scientific work, the constraints of policies, the solicitation of the head of state, and for some, the campaign of the race for the post of minister of health.

In n the face of this calamitous situation, it is up to the administration to react and take charge of the file. Because, faced with the failure of the Minister of Health, it is the responsibility of the prime minister to take matters in hand, since there is an imminent danger, But part of his team doesn’t appear to realize the urgency of the situation. They behave as they would react to a normal routine as if the lives of thousands of Tunisians did not depend on it. They are expecting for a certain hypothetical meeting, of a committee, which cannot, to their liking, be brought forward by a few days.

They should, nevertheless, have made the effort to catch the problem head-on and speed up the review of the situation. Particularly since the head of government has time to do so since his schedule reveals that he had no vital activity last Friday and today Monday.