TEHRAN — Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki has lauded the Basij forces for helping the medical society in the country’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter to Basij Chief Gholamreza Soleimani, Namaki voiced his gratitude to the volunteer forces of the Basij for their close cooperation with the medical staff and for their contribution to the national mobilization plan to contain the deadly virus, Tasnim reported.

He also pointed to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s recommendation that the intensity of the battle with the coronavirus should not decrease, predicting a difficult road ahead for the full containment of the disease.

Namaki asked the Basij Force to stand with the medical society on the path fraught with difficulties, saying the Islamic Republic has so far achieved great results in the fight against the coronavirus despite the pressure of sanctions in comparison to countries with strong economies.

On Thursday, the health minister predicted that Iran’s situation in fight against the pandemic will improve noticeably in coming days.

In a meeting held through videoconference with WHO officials in the Eastern Mediterranean region in attendance, experts praised Iran for implementing the national coronavirus fight plan and called for Iran to share its experience throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

To date, we have been able to cover more than 90 percent of the target population through the national plan, Namaki stated.

Among the public and experts, a question was raised that “when we say that we could manage the first heavy wave of the disease in the country, how have the identified cases increased,” he responded that “with achievements in the screening of the disease, we have been able to identify more new cases of COVID-19, and in the coming days, the healing of those identified will become more apparent and will change Iran's situation globally.”

People should know that we are in the disease management phase and are still operating to control and the disease, he said, adding, “However, in some provinces, due to proper disease management, the detection rate of new cases has dropped.”

MH/PA