Director-General of Health Services Abul Kalam Azad on Friday expressed ‘deep sorrow’ and apologised for his comments on the lifespan of the coronavirus pandemic which has caused a stir in many quarters, says a press release.
According to the Health Department’s press release sent to media on Friday noon, Azad was ‘deeply sorry’ for the confusion created by his statement.
On Thursday, Azad appeared in the daily Covid-19 bulletin for the first time since his recent recovery from the respiratory illness caused by the virus and said the coronavirus infection could persist for another ‘two to three years’.
“The coronavirus situation is not ending in two to three months,” Azad had said in the online briefing, adding that his assumption is based on experiences of other countries and opinions of public health experts.
“It will last for at least two to three more years, though the level of infection may not remain high,” he said.
Azad subsequently realised that his statement could cause uncertainty and as such the DGHS directed the media to quote him from the e-press statement rather than the online briefing.
“The script that he was reading from in the online briefing had been hastily prepared and as such, he couldn't carefully review its contents before going public,” the release read.
Later, Azad has clarified that the coronavirus will exist until a successful vaccine is invented and successfully applied to a significant number of people, which may take two to three years or even more.
Meanwhile, Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader slammed the top health official for his 'irresponsible' comments at a time when Bangladesh is grappling with a worsening coronavirus epidemic.
He said the “shortsighted and ignorant” statement of a senior health official about the duration of the coronavirus crisis has made the people disappointed.
“Making an irresponsible remark at a sensitive point of time was not right for someone in a responsible position,” Quader said while speaking at a virtual press briefing from his official residence.
Asking the health officials to refrain from making such “uncoordinated and unwanted” statements, the AL general secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government have been working relentlessly to keep the morale of people strong and encouraging the frontline COVID-19 fighters amid the ongoing crisis.