Crisis management
The calamities of nature do not knock the door before creating havoc. Today, the world is mired into combating COVID-19 with eleventh hour deliberations on a critical global issue which could have been managed if only the world leaders had farsighted policies at hand. The case of Pakistan is no different where societal concerns are neglected on the expanse of issues of high political capital.
Policies are made in multi-dimensional and multi-categorical matrices where the most significant variables include the political need and potential effectiveness of the issues at hand. Most of the policy making is done on the issues in the political hotboxes which rank high in both the variables; whereas the others are dumped as back drawer concerns. Similar is the case of the environmental disasters and pandemics, in which the policies are rarely made and if made, lack feasible implementation mechanism. Thus the stakeholders, ordinary people, are deprived of their life and dignity.
The enduring cry for the lack of resources to tackle this policy lapse is nothing but an act of eliminating all prospects of their effective utilization. We see the resources of the state pouring into expensive residential schemes which are mostly uninhibited. There are land encroachment mafia mustering millions into their buckets by such schemes. On the other hand, there is a lack of burn centres, orphanages, recreational centres and even hospitals for the public. And hence, the wants of the few are engulfing the needs of many. It is mind boggling to witness such dereliction in decision-making circles as the failure of the Taftan quarantine indicates.
Thus, the policy-making at the eleventh hour using strict quarantines, harsh treatment and bogus implementation mechanism lacks sustainability, feasibility and acceptability. I suggest that the government chalk out a comprehensive and all-encompassing policy on disaster management which is implementable and farsighted.
RIDA FATIMA
Islamabad
Stop social gatherings
The current situation is tense in Pakistan especially in Sindh because the cases of Coronavirus are increasing very fast day by day. Now government of Sindh plans to impose curfew-like in the backdrop of rising Coronavirus cases. But lack of awareness is everywhere because people need to understand that social gatherings can cause irreparable damage.
If you need to go out of home for some reason then wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water and also use hand sanitizer, because prevention is better than cure. This time is difficult because humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat this pandemic Coronavirus disease. Hence we should try to stop this pandemic disease to spread further, therefore, we must follow the prevention and stop social gatherings.
MUHAMMAD HAIDER
Karachi
Cyber knife and cancer treatment
Pakistan is densely populated country with an estimated population of 210 million. Cancer rate in Pakistan is very high and mostly diagnosed at last stage because most people have misconception and poor knowledge about the cancer and its symptoms and also illiteracy and poor social status that resulting to death.
Pakistan is not a developed country; it is still in the way of development and has achieved a very high and remarkable milestone with regard to the treatment of cancer as it has got a robotic, cutting edge technology known as “CYBER KNIFE”. Cyber knife machine uses a high cancer-killing dose of radiation in a precise, painless and non-intensive manner. It is alternative to surgery and treating not only tumours anywhere on the body but also treats other medical issues like trigeminal neuralgia and AV malformation.
During the treatment with cyber knife there is no need of anaesthesia, risk of infection, haemorrhage or healthy tissues injury and very less time recovery during the procedure. This treatment was brought to Pakistan with the help of PAF (Patient Aid Foundation) at JMPC Karachi in 2012 for the nation. International patients are also treated on payment. There are 250 cyber knife robotic machines in the whole world while Pakistan has two of them, which is a great achievement for Pakistan.
AMINA ZAFAR SATTI
Via email
Patient rights
Unfortunately, in our society quality healthcare service is not for all, but in this age of Coronavirus which has shaken all walks of life around the globe, the rights of patients who are suffering from various other deadly diseases are massively violated.
Only the other day, I visited one of Islamabad-based government hospitals wherein I could see with my own eyes that patients were denied their right to appropriate medical.
Most of the doctors and paramedics were seen busy – may be chatting with their friends or others on their mobile phones. Their attitude towards patients who were already admitted or those who were brought to their Emergency or OPD was not appreciable. They were allergic or afraid of patients as they may not contract COVID-19 from these men and women who were brought to Emergency or ODP for treatment.
Pitiably, after the Coronavirus outbreak, the patients who are not suffering from the COVID-19, but from other diseases when they are brought to the hospital(s), they are not treated in accordance with his/her best interests. Even our electronic media has devoted much attention towards Coronavirus positive patients, but other patients and ailing people go unattended in these crucial times. They also deserve a better quality healthcare.
In these challenging times, out doctors must behave as ‘societal doctors” and they must have breadth and depth of medical knowledge combined with clinical acumen. They must tackle all patients with humanistic and professional responsibility. Is there anyone to take notice of this apathy on the part of health professionals, among others, in public sector hospitals and tell them that the patient’s dignity and rights should be respected in all times and climes?
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
COVID-19
vs mind
The coronavirus spread all over the world, sullying millions of people and killing thousands. All the prophylactic measurements are taken all over the world but the most important thing is “How it affects our mind & psycho-domain?”. The capability of the human body to fight against the pathogen is “Immunity”, but the most important thing we always forgot to mention is the “will power” & “Positive Attitude” of the infected person. If we focus on our language then we use the following words for example “He is fighting against the acute hemophilia”, here the term fighting means the person is willingly trying to overcome the impact of diseases and hope so to be a healthy person as soon as possible, here the determination, positive behaviour & optimistic approach allows the patient to fight against any disease.
Similarly Coronavirus is just a pathogen spreading all over the world as an educated person it’s over responsibility to analyze the psychological affect of this pathogen on the society. It will definitely hit the mind of major population and yet we can predict that “CORONA-Phobia” is build up among the people, as this kind of phobia first attack the mind of the person and its symptoms are varies with the person e.g anxiety, stress, depression & phobia of different kinds. The critical impact of Corona is deal by the Medics & State, but its impact on the mentality of the Nation will bring a completely revolutionaries the thinking perspective of people.
In order to save the Nation from such conditions we also have to highlight the positive news related to the COVID-19 and the progress going around the world. We all focus on the exponential growth of the patient all over the world But we have to elaborate on the recovery rate all over the world. No doubt the situation is panic but let things run smoothly.
DANISH MALIK
Rawalpindi
Modi Care Fund
India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has collected Rs 10,000 crores in his Modi Care Fund.
In spite of collecting such a huge amount, he himself has not contributed a dime of it to fight Coronavirus. He is saving the money to build statues and temples and buy MLAs in order to make India a total Hindu nation.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India