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Jirga Delegates Asked to Follow Health Advice

The Ministry of Public Health asked the delegates of the Loya Jirga, the grand assembly, to observe health advice as the COVID-19 threat remains, but the environment inside the event suggests the advice is being ignored.

At least 3,200 delegates have attended the Jirga, all in one hall. Footage from the event shows the delegates have less than half a meter distance between them and a majority of them are not using face masks.

“I request you to use a mask, wash your hands and observe two meters of distance in order to save your life and the lives of other delegates of the Jirga from the coronavirus,” said Mohammad Jawad Osmani, the acting minister of public health. 

“Bringing over 2,000 people in one hall is not a good step under the current circumstances,” said Mahdi Mubashir, a civil society activist. 

Doctors said such events held amid the coronavirus risk the health of the citizens. 

“So far, no country in the world has held such a big event. This will harm people’s health,” said Mohammad Hashim Wahaj, a doctor in a Kabul hospital.  

The head of the Kabul Public Health Directorate, Khushal Nabizada, said the virus will spread among the delegates if they do not observe social distancing. 

“A gathering of this number of people can be threatening if they do not observe health advice, but the Ministry of Public Health has taken all required measures,” he said. 

According to data by the Ministry of Public Health, 78 new cases of the coronavirus were reported on Friday out of 2,010 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

Jirga Delegates Asked to Follow Health Advice

Doctors said such events held amid the coronavirus risk the health of the citizens. 

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The Ministry of Public Health asked the delegates of the Loya Jirga, the grand assembly, to observe health advice as the COVID-19 threat remains, but the environment inside the event suggests the advice is being ignored.

At least 3,200 delegates have attended the Jirga, all in one hall. Footage from the event shows the delegates have less than half a meter distance between them and a majority of them are not using face masks.

“I request you to use a mask, wash your hands and observe two meters of distance in order to save your life and the lives of other delegates of the Jirga from the coronavirus,” said Mohammad Jawad Osmani, the acting minister of public health. 

“Bringing over 2,000 people in one hall is not a good step under the current circumstances,” said Mahdi Mubashir, a civil society activist. 

Doctors said such events held amid the coronavirus risk the health of the citizens. 

“So far, no country in the world has held such a big event. This will harm people’s health,” said Mohammad Hashim Wahaj, a doctor in a Kabul hospital.  

The head of the Kabul Public Health Directorate, Khushal Nabizada, said the virus will spread among the delegates if they do not observe social distancing. 

“A gathering of this number of people can be threatening if they do not observe health advice, but the Ministry of Public Health has taken all required measures,” he said. 

According to data by the Ministry of Public Health, 78 new cases of the coronavirus were reported on Friday out of 2,010 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

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