Balkh province’s health department on Friday warned of a “human catastrophe” if actions are not taken to deliver health equipment and testing kits for doctors who are battling the COVID-19 disease in the province.

The equipment used to test samples of COVID-19 is not working properly, said Khalilullah Hekmati, the head of Balkh’s health department.

“I hope that the kits are delivered to us soon, otherwise, we will not be able to undertake the testing of samples of COVID-19,” said Hekmati.

According to Balkh’s health department, so far 28 positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the province.

Statistics show that so far five COVID-19 patients have lost their lives in Balkh province while another two have recovered from the virus.

A member of the Balkh provincial council said that the laboratory, which was given by the provincial agriculture department to the health officials, is not working properly due to lack of equipment.

“There are people whose results come back after they are dead,” said Afzal Hadid, the head of the Balkh provincial council.

What do residents say?

“No action was taken for the villages, no awareness campaign was conducted there and no assistance was provided to the people there,” said Mohammad Anwar, a resident in Charbolak district of Balkh.

“Preemptive measures haven’t been taken for our districts,” said Mohammad Zahir, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif, in Balkh.