KRG allocates one billion dinars of coronavirus relief fund to Erbil health authorities
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has allocated one billion dinars in relief funds to Erbil's health department, as the province struggles to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
The allocation, equal to around $840,000, was made upon an order by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, according to a statement from the KRG health ministry released Saturday night.
"Within the framework of the KRG's continued efforts to combat coronavirus, one billion dinars [$840,000] was allocated to the Erbil health department," the statement read.
"The sum is part of the emergency budget that the KRG has earmarked to combat coronavirus in the Region's provinces and areas," it added.
The KRG had already allocated some of the budget, whose sum is unknown, to all four Kurdistan Region provinces to boost health department coronavirus testing capabilities and medical supply levels.
But Erbil's ability to fight the pandemic has come under particular scrutiny in recent days, after a shortage of medical grade oxygen at the city's Rizgari Hospital, caused by a late delivery, was blamed by relatives of coronavirus patients for the deaths of four people on Thursday.
Public outcry was sparked by the deaths at the hospital dedicated to the treatment of coronavirus but apparently ill-equipped to cope with the outbreak. The hospital's director denied the oxygen shortage was to blame for the fatalities.
Before the outbreak, Rizgari Hospital needed 10,000 litres of oxygen a month, according to Erbil's health department. But with those who suffer severe coronavirus symptoms or related health complications needing oxygen to help them breathe, the hospital now uses up that amount in just three days.
According to the latest data from the KRG health ministry, 4,530 people in Erbil have been infected with the COVID-19 virus so far. Of this number, 3,020 people have recovered and 129 have died.
With spread of the virus unrelenting and hospitals overwhelmed, some people have bought their own oxygen supply for treatment at home, causing sales of oxygen tanks in Erbil to spike.
The health ministry warned weeks ago that it could run into a shortage of medical supplies if the Kurdistan Region continues to see case numbers at their current level.
The allocation, equal to around $840,000, was made upon an order by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, according to a statement from the KRG health ministry released Saturday night.
"Within the framework of the KRG's continued efforts to combat coronavirus, one billion dinars [$840,000] was allocated to the Erbil health department," the statement read.
"The sum is part of the emergency budget that the KRG has earmarked to combat coronavirus in the Region's provinces and areas," it added.
The KRG had already allocated some of the budget, whose sum is unknown, to all four Kurdistan Region provinces to boost health department coronavirus testing capabilities and medical supply levels.
But Erbil's ability to fight the pandemic has come under particular scrutiny in recent days, after a shortage of medical grade oxygen at the city's Rizgari Hospital, caused by a late delivery, was blamed by relatives of coronavirus patients for the deaths of four people on Thursday.
Public outcry was sparked by the deaths at the hospital dedicated to the treatment of coronavirus but apparently ill-equipped to cope with the outbreak. The hospital's director denied the oxygen shortage was to blame for the fatalities.
Before the outbreak, Rizgari Hospital needed 10,000 litres of oxygen a month, according to Erbil's health department. But with those who suffer severe coronavirus symptoms or related health complications needing oxygen to help them breathe, the hospital now uses up that amount in just three days.
According to the latest data from the KRG health ministry, 4,530 people in Erbil have been infected with the COVID-19 virus so far. Of this number, 3,020 people have recovered and 129 have died.
With spread of the virus unrelenting and hospitals overwhelmed, some people have bought their own oxygen supply for treatment at home, causing sales of oxygen tanks in Erbil to spike.
The health ministry warned weeks ago that it could run into a shortage of medical supplies if the Kurdistan Region continues to see case numbers at their current level.