U.N. health agency has appointed a new special representative to Tajikistan.

World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Ms. Bakhtygul Karryyeva, who had previously worked at the Office of WHO Regional Director for Europe, acting head of the WHO permanent mission in Tajikistan, according to Sputnik Tajikistan. 

She has replaced Ms. Galina Perfiliyeva, who has reportedly left the country in connection with the end of her tenure to Tajikistan.  

Recall, Galina Perfiliyeva was quoted on the Tajik Health Ministry’s official website, on April 21, as upholding the country’s official coronavirus-free status.

“The level of laboratories carrying out coronavirus diagnosis in Tajikistan, as well as the level of knowledge of the specialists and the quality of diagnostics, corresponds to the requirements of international standards,” Perfiliyeva said in remarks conveyed by the ministry.

Ms. Perfiliyeva, however, in an interview with Russian daily newspaper Kommersant, published on April 22, appeared to qualify earlier remarks by noting that “to categorically state that there are no cases [of coronavirus] in the country is not possible.”

Media reports said yesterday that WHO mission has assessed the results of the trip to Tajikistan as “very satisfactory.”