(19 Nov 2020) Doctors in Bosnia, one of the hardest-hit countries in the Balkans with coronavirus, are appealing to people to respect virus prevention measures to help the nation's ailing health system.
As Bosnia battles a surge in infections and a mounting death toll, authorities have converted one third of all hospital wards to treat COVID-19 patients.
The impoverished country - ravaged during the 1992-95 war and further plagued by mismanagement, lack of funds and corruption - has one of the weakest healthcare systems in Europe.
Authorities on Thursday reported more than 1,000 new infections in the nation of 3.5 million people while 64 people died in the past 24 hours.
"Our message to the citizens is to respect all recommended measures, including wearing face masks, keeping distance and avoiding bigger gatherings," said doctor Amir Cehajic.
Cehajic is a general internal medicine specialist at a former military hospital, now Abdulah Nakas General Hospital in Sarajevo.
Wearing a white protective suit and face cover, Cohajic toured the COVID-19 ward where patients could be seen on oxygen support and on medical infusion, breathing heavily.
As doctors checked the patients, nurses tended the sick as they lay motionless on hospital beds.
Cohajic said his hospital was meant to take in patients in a less-serious condition, while those in more life-threatening situations were sent to other clinics.
Still, the hospital is nearly full every day.
Dr Erdan Drljevic, head of infectious disease at Sarajevo General Hospital, said the highest rate of mortality is registered in small towns, where hospitals often do not have the capacity to treat coronavirus patients.
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