GPPAC Expresses Concern Over COVID-19 Response in Belarus

GPPAC expresses deep concerns over the position of the leadership of Belarus regarding the coronavirus pandemic. 

The current pandemic is a global challenge to humanity. We recognize that there is no “one fit all” approach to this challenge and that different countries are free to make their own decisions regarding their response to this new global threat. However, while responses may differ, it is important that they are based on scientific knowledge and on a realistic estimate of the situation, not on a simple denial of the problem or attempts to hide its severity.
 

In circumstances when authorities deny the scale of the problem, civil society in Belarus has come to the forefront of the fight against the pandemic.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the course of action chosen by the Belarus President, Mr. A. Lukashenko and of the Belarus government. On numerous occasions Mr. Lukashenko has deliberately downplayed the risks of the developing pandemic, and the government of Belarus has refused to impose any significant quarantine measures, even such simple ones as suspending sports events that bring together large crowds of spectators. Yet even the official government statistics, the reliability of which is questioned by many observers, demonstrates that the country has significantly higher per capita infection rates of COVID-19 than its neighbors – more than 2 times higher than Poland, Russia, Lithuania, about 5 times higher than neighboring Ukraine. And the number of reported new cases of the COVID-19 disease in Belarus has been growing day by day. Yet despite such statistical evidence the Belarus government currently decided to re-open public schools while the country’s President spoke openly against children wearing face masks in school classes. In other statements, Mr. Lukashenko claimed that “no one has died from coronavirus in Belarus”, mentioned that playing ice hockey, going to a sauna and working on a tractor or drinking a little alcohol are good ways to increase one’s immunity and prevent a COVID-19 sickness.
 

GPPAC calls on the government of Belarus to re-consider its approach to the threats of the coronavirus pandemic and to begin implementing at least the most basic measures to stop the exponential growth of the COVID-19 disease in Belarus.

This kind of attitude of ignorance and denial puts in great jeopardy both the population of Belarus and negatively affects the efforts of the country’s neighbors to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

While officials refuse to recognize the severity of the problem, tensions are growing in society, various rumors are spreading accusing certain groups for transferring the disease, what may result in an exacerbation of the internal situation.

In circumstances when authorities deny the scale of the problem, civil society in Belarus has come to the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. Since mid-March, civil society organizations switched to work from home and began collaborating on projects aimed to help medical and educational institutions of the country, such as purchasing personal safety items and materials for their production, medical devices, disinfectants, organizing psychological support programs for patients and medical personnel.

GPPAC calls on the government of Belarus to re-consider its approach to the threats of the coronavirus pandemic and to begin implementing at least the most basic measures to stop the exponential growth of the COVID-19 disease in Belarus.

We call on other governments, as well as the United Nations and the World Health Organization to demand from the Belarus government to take effective measures against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

We express our support to the people of Belarus and to Belarus civil society and call on representatives of international organizations, donor countries, other stakeholders to actively support the efforts of Belarusian civil organizations that are responding to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We call on civil society organizations to express their concern to Belarus officials and to stress that a responsible position of its government, as well as of the leadership of all nations, during the ongoing global pandemic is essential for the well-being of its own population as well as for the effectiveness of worldwide efforts to combat the challenge of the coronavirus.