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Earlier in the day wrote NRK that the former parliamentary ombudsman, Arne Fliflet, criticizing the government’s secrecy around smittevernutstyr.
Fliflet will have the support of the medical association.
President Marit Hermansen says to NTB that the government’s secrecy is disturbing and very unfortunate. She asks the government to be open about how much equipment you actually have, even if it is a lack of equipment.
the President of the medical association, Marit Hermansen, believes that the authorities now have to play with open cards.
national healthcare spokesperson for the centre party (Sp), Kjersti Top, says to NRK that she is now being nedringt of the concerned mayors who do not get smittevernutstyret they have been promised.
– I are called down by desperate mayor who looks at the television that High, and Solberg sets the and accept the when the new load of equipment that comes to the country, but that at the same time they do not want to inform either the mayors or the other about how the situation actually is, ” says Topping.
She believes the government needs to be clearer, if it is so that there actually is a lack of smittevernutstyr in Norway.
The last thing we need now is secrecy. In such a crisis we are in, have to honesty to be the first commandment. Everything else makes that confidence in government is weakened. We can stand not, ” she says.
Sorry
In the last week wrote a division director in the directorate of Health, Johan Torgersen, in a letter that the management of the ministry of Health and the Health of the South-East did not wish to give out information about smittevernutstyr “because of the. the uncertainty this can father in the population”.
It is Health South-East has the responsibility to distribute the equipment to hospitals and municipalities, for a fixed allocation formula.
Acting assistant director, Espen Rostrup Nakstad sorry that the argument about that it would not spread fear in the population was used to hold back the numbers on the smittevernutstyr.
Photo: Heiko Junge / Heiko Junge
Now apologize for acting assistant director, Espen Rostrup Nakstad that this rationale was used.
First I want to apologize, on behalf of the Norwegian directorate of Health, the unfortunate statements that came a while ago, that this was because people should not be worried, ” says Nakstad on Dagsnytt 18.
We can only grumble and sharpen us, and report as best we can, albeit with an uncertainty that it is a little difficult to report accurate figures, ” says Nakstad.
Background: Will not say how much smittevernutstyr Norway – why are the numbers secret – Hard to follow from time to time
Nakstad, however, may not provide an exact number on how much smittevernutstyr found in Norway.
He points to several other reasons for this, and never says has been “a conscious policy” to maintain the confidentiality of things. Nakstad shows that the Norwegian health authorities has been in a critical situation, where you did not know how many days you had the equipment again.
– it was very important that one not given out with the numbers, before one knew that the equipment was in Norway. This is difficult processes with kontraktsinngåelser, in a market where there is huge demand but limited supply.
Nakstad says it has been difficult to keep track of the need in the municipalities. This is submitted via the county governors to the Health-Southeast, which then notifies the other public health.
– It is all the time variation in consumption and the enrolled, and it is then difficult to accurately define this from day to day.
Nakstad points out that the Norwegian directorate of Health has been open about some things, such as that in the previous week came one million surgical masks to Norway from China. But he points out that it is unclear how much is left of this, because one then must “go into the warehouse and count”.
He is, nevertheless, clear that there is no acute crisis that one goes out any place in the health service now.
– It is hard to follow from time to time how much we have. But it is important to say that we have enough now for the next few days, and a little bit into the future, ” says Nakstad.
also Read: Norway has received a large cargo of smittevernutstyr from abroad
the ministry of Health informs that a number of municipalities need hastebestillinger to meet the need for smittevernutstyr, such as coats, surgical masks, hoods and gloves.
Photo: Marit Hommedal – Access is restricted
Marit Hermansen of the Norwegian medical association also questions about the distribution network of smittevernutstyr functioning optimally, and says she has received messages that the municipalities cannot reach with their orders.
She believes that transparency about how much smittevernutstyr which are extra important now.
– There can be uncertainty about the rules set because of the utstyrsmangel or of other things, and not as a result of the professional advice that is based on a real assessment, ” says Hermansen.
medical director Svein Lie in the ministry of Health says some municipalities have small equipment again, and that it is now sent hasteleveranser to the individual municipalities.
He says that some of the municipalities already have got something, and that others get this week, but it shows that access is still limited.
It has been sent hasteleveranser to the 16 municipalities in the counties in the catchment area of Health South East. In addition, there have also been several deliveries to municipalities from the health enterprises in the other helseregionene, ” says Lie.
He says they have a private nødlager if there were to be a spontaneously to the needs of individual municipalities. Lie says the deliveries to municipalities is in progress.
– It is still very limited access on the smittevernutstyr, and some of the municipalities have little equipment left. We have, therefore, kept back a safety margin of 10 per cent of the national deliveries to use as a buffer for the hospitals and municipalities that are about to go empty, ” says Lie.
Creates uncertainty among health care professionals
the Sp-politician Top says she does not require that every surgical masks should be reported, but asks the health and care services ms. Bent Tall (H) for greater transparency around smittevernutstyr.
First deputy chairman of the health and omsorgskomiteen Kjersti Top (Sp), mean koronasituasjonen require transparency from the authorities.
Photo: Ingrid Aarekol / NRK
She thinks at the same time it is good that the ministry of Health apologize for the argument that it be kept secret in order not to create uncertainty.
But I would expect, then, that the ministry of Health as soon as possible inform how the emergency preparedness for smittevernutstyr actually is and provides the public with access to this information.
the Rule also responds to the government’s argument that the disclosure of numbers will result that Norway’s position in the market deteriorate, and says it is “banging against the basic democratic principle”.
– It is an argument which the government has used before, when they have gone into to keep the legemiddelpriser secret.
the Norwegian broadcasting corporation has referred to the criticism from the Top and the medical association to the ministry of Health. The ministry stated that they are investigating whether the High have the opportunity to comment on the statements.
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