ABDUL RAHMAN MALIK
THE HealthWorkers are doing wonders and their courage and steadfastness to limit the outbreak are commendable.The health workers, despite being vulnerable to the pandemic and lack proper preventive gear, are waging the war of existence for the people around the world regardless of any discrimination of caste, creed, religion, race or origin but humanity. Their determination heralds that they will defeat and contain the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic that has already wreaked havocinthe world, affecting millions and killing thousands. The way our health workers are performing their duties in the time of emergency is laudable. Many health specialists have been tested positive even some laid their lives in defence of their countrymen. But, despite losing some soldiers in the battle, they appear to be undeterred, fearless and undaunted in their fight to protect their countrymen and defeating this one of the biggest human enemies. They believe in unity and their collective and collaborative efforts have helped them limit the outbreak of this global pandemic to the extent that even the developed nations like Italy, Spain, France, Germany, the US and UK, despite having modern Technology and Research Laboratories in virology and epidemics, have not been able to curtail the repercussions and catastrophe at massive scale except China. The total confirmed cases are 3918 and the death toll is just 55 in Pakistan as on. This credit goes to the Government and especially to our health fighters whose timely measures of screening people with travel history abroad and placing them at the specified quarantine centres for the period of 14 days, have started paying well besides Federal and Provincial governments announcing lockdowns in the cities and towns to keep people at home as advised by the WHO health experts on pandemic and virology as well as the lessons learnt from China’s fight to contain this pandemic and putting it under control. With a limited number of deaths as compared to other regions of the world where death ratio is above 7%., Pakistan’s situation is not too bad except in Sindh and Punjab where cases are growing especially Punjab that has taken the lead with 1918, Sindh 982, KP 500, GB 211, Baluchistan 202, Islamabad Capital Territory 83 and AJK with least number with 18. The selfless doctors’ efforts have helped 429 people recover from this pandemic. According to reports of National Health services that most of the cases are imported from Iran, Saudi Arab and other countries with high intensity of mortality. The number of the locally transmitted virus is very limited as compared to Italy, China, Spain, Iran and the US thus people should not panic. They should adhere to the SOPs designed by Federal and Provincial Governments to remain safe against Covid-19. It is pathetic to say that the Government’s response to facilitating health workers with preventive gear, equipment for specific screening and scanning devices to detect the viral attack, and providing the hygienic workplace at the medical facility, is dismal that has become the great concern amongst Health experts prompting them to protest in KP and Punjab. The Health sector has so far been the subject of negligence by our uneducated and feudal political leaders getting elected as MPAs and MNAs by horse-trading and harassing voters. Given these alarming consequences, no heed is paid to improve health systems and develop multi-bed well-equipped hospitals and provision of modern facilities such as ventilators, ICU wards, and Isolation wards for those testing positive. The current health facilities are inadequate to accommodate a huge number of people falling prey to the pandemic. Had we done a lot in the health sector, we would not have seen such pull to establish temporary Quarantine and Isolation centres when the pandemic has hit the nation. At first, Sindh was the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic when the cases were initially reported at a rapid pace, then Punjab became the epicentre of pandemic and surpassed Sindh in confirmed cases which is alarming, KP is following with a growing number of cases. The situation in Baluchistan is normal at the moment but it may jump at rapid speed given global indicators of increasing cases. The confirmed cases in the US have topped China, Italy and Spain. The temporary hospitals, quarantine and isolations centres have been established to fight the pandemic as health facilities are falling short due to pandemic. The unsung heroes of Pakistan are battling against the Covid-19 to defend the nation against its implications.The nations are all praise for these brave sons of soil performing their professional duties fearlessly and selflessly to protect the nation and making us proud of their commitment. Teachers are the architects of nations to build the foundations for developing countries and accelerating the progress with the weapon of education and skill set. That will only materialize when we have healthy minds to accept the challenges and meet these challenges with dedication and devotion. Every problem finds the solution with expertise and experience. It is high time that the government should provide PPEs and other testing tools to our health workers so that they may not risk their own by saving the lives of others. Furthermore, modern testing Labs must be established at every district headquarters so that treatment of the “Tested positive” be started immediately after getting the test reports from the laboratories. This will be very helpful in containing this pandemic. Therefore, it is advisable that until WHO comes up with drug or vaccine to cure this incurable disease, we need to take protective measures the health workers are our real heroes and the entire nation is proud of them for their selfless service to people despite remaining “The Unsung Heroes”. — The writer is freelance columnist, based in Sindh.