GIVEN the increase in infections and deaths, the situation is
very serious vis-à-vis the spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan and the things can spiral out of control and our healthcare system can totally collapse if the requisite steps were not taken well in time.
Pakistan has been ranked among the top 10 countries in the world reporting the highest number of new cases of Coronavirus and in this backdrop, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended to the provinces to impose two week lockdown, in addition to enhancing the testing capacity to fifty thousand per day to assess the actual prevalence of Coronavirus across the country. Strengthening of public health measures such as quarantine, isolation, physical distancing and patient contact tracing were also recommended. In view of the economic situation and the impact of the virus on the livelihood of poor people, the government had taken the difficult decision of easing the restrictions but the decision has backfired as non-compliance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by the people has led to a significant number of infections on a daily basis. Now the experts predict that Pakistan is expected to record 210,000 to 226,000 Coronavirus cases in total by the end of August – something which will overburden our healthcare system. Given the situation and the advice of the WHO, it will be better for the federal government to sit with all the provinces and opt for a strict lockdown – sort of complete curfew – for the period suggested in order to flatten the curve of the virus. The first priority should be saving the life of the people from this disease and for this purpose the Federation and its units must work in complete coordination whilst rising above politics. The people also need to act responsibly and with maturity and comply with the guidelines given by the government for their safety and those of others.
