Three famous rules - mask, distance, and hygiene

Baku/04.12.20/Turan: For more than a week now, the daily statistics of new cases of coronavirus in Azerbaijan have been around 4,000. In Azerbaijan, which has been fighting against COVID-19 for 9 months, a total of 133,733 people have been infected with the disease, 81,234 have been cured, and 1,510 have died.

But how can we assess the fight against coronavirus in Azerbaijan during these 9 months?

Speaking to RFE / RL, the coronavirus patient A. H. said he was dissatisfied with the level of the fight of the local health system against COVID. “We, as a whole family, are COVID-positive. It is good that I am a doctor. I got the medicine myself in someway or other. I also perform a duty. Let me share with you my observations and conclusions to date. When I applied to the polyclinic for a nose and throat swab test, they said, "How do you know that you have a corona so that you need a test?" Then they said that they could take the test only after 4 days and say the answer after the next 3 days. In short, we had to wait 1 week. We were examined that day at the institution where I work and received the answer the next day. On the day when the result was announced as "positive", the polyclinic called me and asked if I needed a bulletin. Police also called and threatened us not to go out of the house. That’s it. We have been at home for 5 days. We did not see medicine or social services that could bring food. My wife began to have problems with shortness of breath, and my condition was not good too. I was ashamed to call the polyclinic again, saying that you do not give medicine, maybe you will take our blood and give it to the laboratory? The answer was no. Nose and throat swab test has become such a bureaucratic hurdle that people go to a doctor and have 5-6 infusion pumps prescribed, including expensive antiviral drugs, the name of which is not included in any clinical protocol, and go on with their lives. Yes, at least 95% of patients are healed. But the viruses of these patients are generously shared until they get over the illness. Do not look for fault in those patients. No one wants to wear a mask on their nose and walk to the market-pharmacy in fear of remorse. No one gets on the bus to have fun, as the "wise men" said at the briefing. "Everyone is trying to earn a livelihood and take medicine for their patients at home.”

MP Musa Guliyev told Turan that Azerbaijan has achieved high results in the fight against coronavirus. “The coronavirus is a new infection and a new widespread pandemic for humanity. Therefore, it has not been fully studied and the problems stem only from this. But in terms of organization, the Azerbaijani state has done everything necessary. This issue is under the control of Mr. President, the Operational Headquarters has been established, 45 hospitals have been involved in this work in a short period of time, and about 15 new modular hospitals have been established. All necessary control measures are being implemented, including the production of local masks and overalls, disinfectants, etc. All of them were organized in a short time and gave very good results during the summer. Azerbaijan's achievements have been praised by the World Health Organization. The government has done a lot to treat and diagnose patients, and I appreciate that. A special UN session has started at the initiative of Mr. President. This means a great contribution of Azerbaijan to the international fight against COVID.”

M. Guliyev also touched upon the shortcomings in the fight against coronavirus. “We do not have enough success in the field of awareness-raising. This problem exists not only in Azerbaijan but all over the world. Most of our people are irresponsible, and while one aspect of this approach is that they said there was no virus in spring, the other aspect is their complete negligence. That is, it is an attitude that "it cannot infect me" or "I will be an ambulant patient even if I get sick". In this sense, it is necessary to raise awareness and increase administrative measures. It is true that we have passed laws, there are fines, and it is mandatory to wear a mask in the open air. But the number of control measures and fines should be increased. Another issue is that there should be a lot of measures to reduce people's contact. Because the main source of infection is human contact. Even if we wear a mask and keep social distance but stay indoors with a sick person for a few hours, then we will be infected. We need to take measures to increase the sense of responsibility of our people because we already see that all the sick and even those who are treated at home, walk the streets. I think that an electronic system should be set up for people receiving treatment at home so that as soon as they leave the house, they should be monitored in any way, returned home, and brought to justice.”

Radiologist Aydin Aliyev, head of the X-ray Diagnostics Department of the Teaching Therapeutic Clinic of the Azerbaijan Medical University (AMU), said that excellent financial and moral support was given to the fight against coronavirus at the highest level of the state. “However, the efficiency of the relevant agencies was not so high. When the problem started, people with positive test results were forcibly quarantined and people panicked. People with positive test results but with no complaints were quarantined and given a handful of medications a day. These people were taking medication, and after 10 days without any complications, the test was negative and people were allowed to go home. It was a waste of medications, and it made people and those around them think that it was a game and that there was no such virus. This has done a lot of damage to the overall work.”

The expert also assessed the application of strict quarantine during the summer holidays as a wrong decision. “This has led to the fact that people flocked to the markets on Fridays and the number of infections increased rather than decreased.”

Aydin Aliyev noted that one of the negative cases is that about 100 doctors and more hospital technicians died of the coronavirus but the relevant agencies did not write even a single letter to the family of these doctors. “They could write that your father, brother, or sister fought selflessly and lost their lives. At least they could offer their condolences to the family of the doctors.”

The doctor stressed that there is confusion in financial matters. “There are ambiguities in the calculation of salaries of medical workers, there are many delays in the payment of salaries. Some doctors claim these facts.”

The head of the department noted that doctors are sometimes criticized but this is not the right approach. “Doctors should not be blamed. Because there are too many patients. Ambulance and doctors of polyclinics cannot catch up on the cases. They receive hundreds of messages. People want help and doctors cannot catch up on physically. Certain measures should be taken by the relevant health agencies.”

The expert also suggested ways out of the situation. “On TV and on social media, the doctors on duty treating the coronavirus should consult the callers for 24 hours. Because the ambulance cannot catch up on, that’s why the patient is stuck in a difficult situation and cannot find a way out. This is a really sad situation. The patient should at least call the TV and explain his/her condition and get medical advice. In addition, in all polyclinics and medical institutions, doctors on duty can be assigned so that patients can visually contact them at the place of residence for 24 hours. Because the number of doctors is not enough for individual examination, and this is the case all over the world.”

Aydin Aliyev said that criteria should be determined for the placement and treatment of critically ill patients in hospitals. “In what cases, in what computed tomography scans, in what complaints and analyses, should the patient be hospitalized? In what cases, should the patient be treated at home? There is some confusion here. Someone instructs to send the relative of someone to the hospital, even though the patient is not seriously ill. Thus, they are also forced to send. If it goes like this, we will not be able to find a place to send seriously ill patients. We must take the necessary measures and properly treat patients in hospitals.”

The doctor stressed that it is very important to provide pharmacies with medicines. “Patients call that we cannot find medicine. It is true that there are many patients; however, the availability of medicines that help fight the coronavirus in pharmacies will at least relieve people and they can go and get them. Why is everyone so inclined to the hospital today? Because they cannot find medicine in pharmacies and they try to stay in the hospital. If we can regulate them, then the number of deaths will decrease. We must not forget the three famous rules - mask, distance, and hygiene, and we must raise awareness about them.”