AS Corona virus, which started from China, is spreading to
other countries as well, the World Health Organization (WHO), on Thursday, declared an international emergency. While making the announcement, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this is not a vote of no-confidence in China but a measure to help other countries with weaker health systems to address the challenge.
Chinese Government has, no doubt, taken prompt and comprehensive measures to contain the outbreak at a scale that was unprecedented in dealing with a challenge of this nature and the top Chinese leadership has been overseeing the disease control efforts. WHO too has appreciated the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated, including sharing data and genetic sequence of the virus. China and WHO have also agreed that WHO will send international experts to visit China as soon as possible to work with Chinese counterparts on increasing understanding of the outbreak to guide global response efforts. This is important as better understanding of the transmissibility and severity of the virus is urgently required to guide other countries on appropriate response measures. There is as yet no confirmed case of the virus in Pakistan but it is satisfying that precautionary measures are being taken by the relevant agencies of the Government besides a mass awareness campaign by media as well as National Disaster Management Authority. Under instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Government is closely monitoring the situation and all necessary measures are being taken to screen all travellers from China and provide hospital-care where required. Thermo Scanners and Thermo Guns have been provided to well-trained health staff at airports in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to screen all passengers. Separately, a special dedicated team is assigned for screening passengers arriving via flights from China.
Emergency Operation Cell in Federal Health Ministry is monitoring the situation round the clock and hopefully these timely measures would help forestall any threat. Japan deserves credit for supplying Pakistan with emergency detection kits that would be used to screen people and the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has also pledged to provide similar kits besides attempts being made to procure them from Germany and China. There are, however, concerns in the country about fate and plight of Pakistani students in China especially after reports that four of them fell victim to the deadly virus. There are also complaints that Pakistan Embassy in Beijing is not as instrumental as it should in the face of growing spread of the virus. There have been demands for evacuation but Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza says it was not advisable to evacuate Pakistanis from China, adding that the government will demonstrate responsible behaviour and not become a part in spreading the virus. The explanation is understandable but there should be no laxity in providing needed assistance to all Pakistanis in China especially those in Wuhan.
