The Arab world and Corona … between the comfort of politicians and the terrible health reality! | Politics and economics | In-depth analyzes with a broader perspective of DW | DW

After Tunisia announced the first infection with the Corona virus, it was completed The injured citizen, originally from Italy, was transferred to Farhat Hashad University Hospital in Sousse. Immediately after, the medical staff protested to the hospital On the move because of what he called the crew “The hospital does not have sufficient medical supplies, “Tunisian media reported. In other Arab countries, although authorities have sought to reassure citizens of their readiness to deal with the virus, reality says otherwise..

Healthcare in Arab countries is at the bottom of the world rankings, according to a World Health Organization report released last year. This includes low skills The medical framework and its effectiveness, the lack of modern equipment and methods of diagnosis and treatment, and the remoteness of health facilities from citizens. In conversation with DW Arabic “Except for the Gulf countries”, says Yasser Abdel Fattah, director of the International Center for Humanitarian Studies in London Who allocates a lot of money In the field of health, in other Arab countries, there is a great marginalization of this sector, where it lives in the poverty of resources and great degrees of corruption.“.

Lack of trust in public servants

Since news of the virus’ emergence in China was announced, Arab officials have issued press releases, many of which lacked transparency, as part of an attempt to black out official media. And the reason returns – it depends Yasser Abdel Fattah To the universe Health security is part of national security and no one should be allowed to destabilize political systems. As a result, “there is a lack of transparency and the desire to reveal facts on the part of politicians to public opinion, which includes the media censored or deprived of adequate information.” »Some countries have no virus cases A big debate among citizens is what is clearly visible on social networks.

For their part, citizens face the statements of officials With a sort of suspicion and grunts. Dr Essam Haddad, a member of the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Berlin, attributes the question to the loss of confidence in the speeches of politicians in general and those of the health sector in particular. And in his conversation with DW Arabi explained this by saying, “Arab officials when they are sick, they travel abroad for treatment, and the failure of governments to serve citizens in other areas cannot make the domain of health an exception.“.

Lack of medical awareness among citizens

Comments, videos and satirical jokes about the Corona virus, on social networks. Some of them reduce their risk, others overdo their treatment. Many reactions show bad conscience and bad culture In the field of health in Arab societies. For Dr Essam Haddad, member of the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Berlin, “the lack of medical awareness is the result of the problems that Arab countries are experiencing in the economic, social and political fields”.“.

The human rights activist adds in a dialogue with DW Arabiya that “Arab regimes do not meet all the social and health requirements of their citizens and do not guarantee their dignity and intellectual, physical and psychological integrity.” As for Yasser Abdel Fattah, this is due to “the weakness or absence of materials on health education in Arab education systems”. As a result, “there is ignorance and a lack of responsibility,” adds the director of the International Center for Humanitarian Studies in London..

Bleeding medical frames

In addition to poor infrastructure, many Arab countries suffer from the lack of preparedness of the human element in the health field to cope with crises such as the Corona virus crisis. A situation that is worsened by the departure of medical personnel to their country to European countries or America and Canada in search of new horizons. In Morocco alone, around 300 doctors emigrate to France each year, according to report For the British Medical Journal (BMJ). In Egypt, the Speaker of Parliament admitted that his country is facing “a serious shortage of doctors because Egyptian doctors are tempted to migrate abroad”.“.

Whether linked to the Coronavirus or other common and deadly diseases, dealing with it requires “putting pressure on governments by human rights groups to ensure health care worthy of the human dignity.“.