Libya’s outgoing government blamed for the delay in vaccine delivery

The bold claims of negligence were made by Libya’s former Health Minister Dr Naji Barakat, who holds the outgoing government responsible for failing to deliver coronavirus vaccines despite issuing more than one deadline of delivery and failing to meet it every time.

Dr Barakat stated that the epidemiological situation in the country was not handled in the correct way and called for the dismissal of both the Director of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to Combat Coronavirus Pandemic for failing to perform their duties efficiently.

“I hold the NCDC, Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj, and Prime Minister of the eastern-based Interim Government Abdullah Al-Thinni responsible for the death of every Libyan citizen due to the virus” Barakat stated.

He explained that Libya filed for vaccines through representatives of companies and not through an official request from the government, causing further delays and cancellations on delivery times.

Barakat also added that the World Health Organization (WHO) has gone back on its promise to delivery vaccines to Libya, noting that he has alerted all concerned parties to the failure of WHO to fulfil its promise before the end of last year.

The former minister concluded by stating that he hopes that the newly confirmed Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Abdul Hamid Debaiba prioritizes the delivery of vaccines and makes every effort to bring it to Libyans to end the unnecessary death and suffering of their countryman and women.

In his first address since being confirmed by Libya’s House of Representatives, Prime Minister Debaiba pledged to deliver vaccines as soon as possible, as well as enforce precautionary measures nationwide to slow down the spread of the virus.