The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), Fadil Novalic, held an online meeting yesterday together with the cantonal prime ministers, with the aim of overcoming the difficult situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, harmonization, and joint action in the FBiH.
While presenting new data on the epidemiological situation in the cantons during the last seven days, the cantonal prime ministers pointed to a mostly stagnant situation, but although no significant increase in the number of new cases has been recorded, there are more patients with a more severe clinical picture or need for hospitalization.
According to the epidemiological situation in the entire FBiH, and the latest data from the health sector, the seven-day incidence at the FBiH level is 324 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, and the highest incidence was recorded in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, West Herzegovina Canton, and Canton Sarajevo. It was stated that it is necessary to strengthen the supervision over the implementation of current measures.
Prime Minister Novalic informed those present about the activities undertaken by the FBiH Government for the vaccine procurement in order to meet the needs of citizens in the FBiH. He pointed out that the procurement of vaccines and assistance to health care institutions are priorities in the work of the Federal Government, and added that it is being actively worked on taking all available steps that the FBiH can implement in this situation.
“Apart from the contacts with certain embassies, we also reached to American companies, manufacturers of coronavirus vaccines. Furthermore, we made contact with India. We also entered the state program with China, and direct negotiations for the purchase of 500.000 Chinese Sinopharm vaccines should begin next week, ” said Prime Minister Novalic.
Attendees were informed about the announced amount, the dynamics of the arrival of vaccines in BiH from COVAX, and the mechanism of the European Union (EU), both this month and until the end of the second quarter.
It was also emphasized that in the future process of the vaccination plan, after health workers and priority groups, it is necessary to consider the order of other priorities, among which should be occupations that by the nature of their work make a large number of contacts, such as media workers, employees in shops, and those in the hospitality sector, Klix.ba writes.
