Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Poland Bahrom Babayev held an online conversation with a renowned European cardiologist, Professor Robert Gil, Dunyo news agency reported.

During the event, they discussed the successive measures taken in Uzbekistan and Poland to counteract the spread of coronavirus and minimize the negative impact of the pandemic on the socio-economic development of the two countries.

According to the results of the online meeting, the correspondent of Dunyo news agency interviewed a Polish expert who maintains close ties of cooperation with Uzbek colleagues.

- Today, the whole world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic, including Poland. What, in your opinion, are the results of this fight today and what will our countries expect in the near future?

- In Poland, as in most countries of the world, all possible measures have been taken to combat the new type of coronavirus. However, the statistics is such that the number of people infected in the country is steadily growing and the saddest thing is that people die. Today in Poland there are already about 7 thousand infected, of whom more than 260 have died from the disease. More than 2.5 thousand people were hospitalized, more than 30 thousand are under surveillance, and more than 160 thousand people are in quarantine.

Coronavirus-infected people are also treated at the clinic of the Academy of the Ministry of the Interior in Warsaw, where I work. Our employees perform their medical duty around the clock, despite the risk of infection. According to the Polish Ministry of Health, the peak incidence of coronavirus will be at the end of April and early May 2020.

- Dr. Gil, just recently, in March, you visited Uzbekistan, where measures were already taken to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. From the point of view of the leading specialist in the industry, how do you assess the effectiveness of measures taken and taken in our country?

- Indeed, in March 2020, I visited Uzbekistan, where a meeting was held at the Ministry of Health of the country, heart operations were performed at the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Cardiology. Already in early March, Uzbekistan began to intensively prepare for the challenges associated with the rapid spread of COVID-19. Having analyzed the situation in other countries, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, instructed very timely to take effective measures to ensure quarantine by citizens who returned from countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation. Steps were taken to increase production, procurement, supply, as well as the creation of reserves of necessary funds, drugs and devices, including mechanical ventilation and their components, taking into account various scenarios of the spread of coronavirus infection.

To mitigate the negative impact of a pandemic in the country, a Presidential Decree created an anti-crisis fund in the amount of more than US$1 billion, and introduced various tax and customs exemptions. It seems to me that creating reserves to compensate for possible economic losses and ensure macroeconomic stability is today the main task of the republic’s leadership.

An important decision was to attract almost 6 thousand medical workers to the fight against coronavirus and their material incentives. It is also important that the manual issued by the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan describes in detail the control algorithm of COVID-19, including cases with contact persons, citizens with suspected virus and confirmed infection, ways of caring for patients with a mild form of coronavirus disease at home, and more.

- Today you are at the forefront in the fight against the pandemic in Poland. What advice would you give Uzbek virus containment experts?

- In Uzbekistan, compared with other countries, the incidence rate is relatively low and far from the sad leadership in this indicator in the world. Therefore, to prevent further growth of the epidemic in the country is possible only if all quarantine measures are accurately performed, safe working conditions for medical personnel are ensured, that is, the presence of special masks, protective clothing and other protective equipment, and an increase in the number of tests for diagnosing the virus.

The Uzbek authorities have already taken decisive measures against COVID-19, which tests the country's administrative system, healthcare system and social security for durability.

In general, the citizens of Uzbekistan reacted with understanding to the recommendations and instructions of the authorities. However, there are those who are trying to violate the temporarily established order. I think they should understand that quarantine is not a vacation, and in the current situation it’s not worth joking with the disease. Therefore, I fully support the strengthening at the legislative level of responsibility for those who violate the requirements for observing the quarantine regime in Uzbekistan.

I believe that in the near future we will come out of this situation, which will serve to update our health systems, increasing their ability to reflect such challenges.