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SARAJEVO, February 24 (FENA) - Representatives of the FBiH Ministry of Health and the FBiH Public Health Institute had a meeting with the Health Committee of the FBiH Parliament, which resulted in today's conclusions, primarily related to organizing a meeting of prime ministers and health ministers and attempts for the Federation of BiH, together with the cantons, to start the procedures of possible direct procurement of vaccines.
FBiH Assistant Minister of Health Goran Čerkez told reporters today during the break of the session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH that this segment is about the competence of the state, so one of the conclusions is to launch a diplomatic offensive in order for BiH to try to get vaccines as soon as possible. In that context, Čerkez added, it would be very important for everyone to be engaged from the state level, including the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Čerkez emphasized that all the necessary preconditions have been provided, adding that they recently had a practice with the World Health Organization where they showed readiness and that we have met all the conditions to receive the Pfeizer vaccine at this time.
“The Federation of BiH has provided a sufficient cold chain and at this moment we could receive, distribute and apply more than 250 thousand Pfaizer vaccines. Procurement of vaccines should go through the state because vaccines must be tested, safe for the population and in such conditions we cannot allow vaccines to come from unreliable sources,” said Čerkez, adding that the Covax mechanism is still expected to work.
Head of the Epidemiology Service of the FBiH Public Health Institute, Sanjin Musa, added that one of today's conclusions was that a team would be formed on behalf of the Government of the Federation of BiH, which would negotiate directly with the producers.
He stated that in European countries, two doses of the vaccine have been received by an average of 2.1 percent of the population so far.
“If you take into account that the target population is health workers and nursing homes, the first phase of the plan has not been realized yet,” Musa added.
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