HEALTH

Algeria has launched large vaccination campaign to cope with Covid-19 pandemic

ALGIERS- Algeria has launched a large vaccination campaign in 2021 to cope with the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic which reached its peak last summer, especially as the country has recorded nearly 18,000 cases.

[ecr] As in many countries, the third wave of Covid-19 was "a test" of the effectiveness of the national health system, not only to deal with this health crisis, but also to develop a solid strategy to encourage citizens to get vaccinated.

During the first quarter of 2021, a "temporary" calm settled in Algeria, before turning into another wave that led to high demand for oxygen, especially last summer.

This difficult situation, marked by the lack of oxygen and beds in hospitals, has pushed President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to intervene in order to accelerate the availability of oxygen and to increase the number of beds in hospitals to 65%.

In this regard, the Ministry of Health has given instructions to transform all facilities into Covid-19 healthcare services to ensure that patients are receiving the necessary care at all levels, while maintaining a minimum service in obstetrics, maternity, pediatrics, oncology, emergency and renal services.

The provinces with a high population density were the most affected by the pandemic, at the head of which is Algiers, with a total of 19 hospitals, which were unable to handle the growing number of patients, and which forced the authorities to seek out hospitals in the provinces of Tipasa, Blida and Boumerdès.

As for the supply of oxygen, the President of the Republic has given strict instructions to raise the production of this vital substance from 290,000 to 310,000 litres/day, in addition to 4,500 non-invasive ventilation devices and 4,551 oxygen concentrators, some of which were imported by the state and others received as donations from national companies and associations.

In addition to these measures, other decisions were taken, including the closure of borders, the introduction of lockdown in some provinces, particularly where outbreaks of the virus and the Delta variant have appeared as well as the closure of all public spaces and mosques.