US Doctors Alarmed by Ortega’s Negligence on Coronavirus
Nicaragua continues to ignore WHO recommendations to prevent the propagation of the coronavirus, leaving the most vulnerable population unprotected, experts warn.
HAVANA TIMES – More than seventy doctors from the United States and other countries have signed a statement expressing alarm for the reckless action of the government of Daniel Ortega in its’ ignoring sound coronavirus prevention.
The regime is leaving vulnerable populations unprotected, they warn in a statement issued by the organization Corner of Love, in which they ask the world to put Nicaragua at the center of interest.
Nicaragua does not yet contemplate restrictive access policies to the country, nor has it established a quarantine for the preventive management of COVID-19 cases. Likewise it doesn’t abide by the measures to reduce mobility and concentration of people that the World Health Organization (WHO) has guided as strategies to stop the propagation of the virus.
“The Nicaraguan Government has ignored these recommendations and has called marches and other meetings in support of the FSLN’s improper positions in the face of the crisis. This is dangerous for the Nicaraguan people and is contrary to the strong recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control to stop the spread of COVID-19”, expresses the statement released by Corner of Love and signed by Tanya Mroczek-Amador, CEO & Founder, Corner of Love, Washington DC.
Corner of Love is an organization that worked in Nicaragua since 1992, knows the vulnerability of the people and, therefore, considers it appropriate that the world “refocus its eyes on the suffering nation of Nicaragua and alerts Nicaraguan citizens about the real danger facing the country.”
Absence of measures on COVID-19
These US specialists are concerned that while COVID-19 is expanding rapidly, the correct measures are not taken in Nicaragua due to an unfortunate decision by the Ortega administration.
They are also concerned about the political instrumentalization of health services during the 2018 civil demonstrations: “Recalling those who died in the last 24 months due to the lack of medical attention caused by orders not to attend to wounded opponents, we raise a collective voice of concern for the unprotected Nicaraguan population and vulnerable refugees in neighboring countries.
Corner of Love considers it necessary to attend to the country’s displaced population due to state repression and urges action be taken.
“The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a pandemic that affects the entire world, including Central America and people living in Nicaragua and those who have been displaced due to the sociopolitical crisis and who are currently living in Costa Rica and other Central American countries, should take steps to prepare for the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak in their community,” they advise.
Nicaraguan health authorities assure that Nicaragua is a COVID-19 free territory despite delaying the decision to temporarily close its borders, restrict flights and cruisers coming from destinations where the virus is present or establishing a quarantine to manage suspected cases.
[Editor’s Note: The first positive case in Nicaragua was reported on Wednesday night March 18th.]