Tunisian President Says Army Will Take over Management Coronavirus Crisis

Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Wednesday that the military health department will take over management of the health crisis in Tunisia amid a Coronavirus outbreak - an escalation of a battle over powers with the prime minister, according to Reuters.

Tunisia is struggling to deal with a resurgence of the coronavirus, with intensive care wards full while doctors exhausted from a rapid increase in the number of cases and deaths and a lack of oxygen.

Saied's comments come after Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi sacked Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi on Tuesday amid accusations over the performance in fighting the pandemic and the slow pace of the vaccination campaign.

"The Military Health Department will take over the management of the health crisis in the country.", he said in comments to Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya during a visit to a vaccination center in Tunis.