Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Post-Corona budget priorities
There is worldwide recession confined not just to under-developed countries, but also leading economic powers in developed world, despite their financial reserves and natural resources. Unfortunately for countries like Pakistan under debt with dwindling revenue and expenditure far exceeding their financial capacity, the paid elite has been leading ostentatious lifestyle, which would shame those working in similar cadres in developed world.
In times of financial crunch there is no justification for State to even consider giving salary rise to paid employees. The financial wizards in whose hands fate and destiny has placed future of 220 Million cannot justify taking loans from international donors and local banks to waste on non-development expenditure, while they simultaneously plan to cut already insufficient budget allocation on health, education and socio-economic development projects.
These are times when paid elected, civil and uniformed public office holders should have voluntarily offered salary and perks reductions within their top officer’s elite. The COVIT-19 has exposed nonexistent health structure of this country, while recent unfortunate crash of A320 just 1KM away from airport has shown lack of capacity to handle rescue operations.
Pakistan has been gracious in welfare of its paid civil and uniformed, with salaries, pensions, perks and privileges, housing and allotment of subsidized plots, rebates in property taxes and membership of clubs etc far more than any other nation in the region. However, State has shied away from constitutional obligation to provide subsidized health, education, basic necessities of life and provision of security and justice to most deprived sections of population, living in despair and abject poverty without bare minimum of civic necessities. These subsidized islands of prosperity surrounded be a sea of despair, adds to frustration and despair in masses which poses threat to national security and cohesion.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Beds transform into a coffin
A Colombian company made a hospital bed out of cardboard which can be converted into a coffin when a COVID-19 patient dies. Through this initiative, the Bogota-based company ABC Display seeks to tackle the shortage of hospital beds and assist in the safe handling of corpses. We developed it because of the situation caused by COVID-19 in the world, because we realized that there was a shortage of hospital beds, ”Gomez told EFE. However, it was agreed that the orders had not yet arrived.
Hospital beds made by ABC Display have a corrugated cardboard structure and metal railings and reusable base. They also have wheels to facilitate movement and can be disinfected for lacquer covering cardboard. The shelf life of the product is six months. The company hopes that patients who use the beds will recover. However, if they succumb to the disease, the beds can be turned into coffins, allowing the corpses to be maintained without touching them, reducing the likelihood of health workers becoming infected.
While working on bed design, Gomez recalled that in neighbouring countries like Ecuador, there was a crisis in handling corpses, which brought him to include a second use as a coffin. “As we progressed in design, we realized what was happening in Ecuador, that they were taking their [dead] relatives out onto the streets and there was no way to bury them, so we had to bend a coffin bed,” Gomez said. If necessary, the bed can be turned into a coffin by removing the railing, and, through a manual process, the body moves downwards in cardboard construction. The company has been criticized on social media for making the hospital bed convertible.
QASIM RAHEEM
Islamabad
How to protect kids from Covid-19
Children are exposed to COVID-19 when the virus contacts their eyes, nose, mouth or lungs. This usually occurs when a nearby infected person coughs or sneezes, which releases respiratory droplets into the air and onto the child’s face or nearby surfaces such as tables, food or hands. The best way to prevent children from becoming sick with COVID-19 is to avoid exposing them to people who are (or who might be) sick with the virus: Avoid crowds. Keep kids away from crowded areas when possible. Stay away from sick people. Keep children at least six feet away from anyone who is sick with a cough or fever, including family members.
Parents should teach kids to wash their hands regularly with soap for 20 seconds. They can help keep track of time by singing the ABCs, which takes about 20 seconds to finish. When to wash hands: Kids should wash their hands after using the bathroom, sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose, before eating and immediately after coming inside from playing outdoors. Kids who balk: if your child is refusing to wash their hands or becoming very upset when asked to do so, it might help give them a small reward, such as a sticker, to celebrate each time they wash their hands.
Compliment them for doing a really good job while washing their hands. It also helps when parents set an example by washing their own hands frequently. If soap and water are not available, the next best option is hand sanitizer. By these few instructions, parents can try to protect their kids from having COVID-19.
FATIMAH KHAN
Wah Cant
Poverty and Covid-19 pandemic
Pakistan is a country where 58.7 million out of a total population of 180 million subsist below the poverty line. The economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic will be on most vulnerable groups including self-employed people, daily wager and employees of SMEs. The lockdown and subsequent fall in the GDP could lead to unemployment of over 5 million more workers which will raise national unemployment rate to 14% and 100 million poor in the country.
These alarming figures remind all rich people to donate as much as possible in this challenging situation. In Pakistan, better nutritional health is only possible by maintaining food and nutrition security where all the people at all time, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
The Last Prophet advised us to fill a third of our stomach with food, a third with water and leave the third part empty. This ensures hydrating and prevents overeating. Eating 5-6 dates soaked in a glass of milk helps in hydration and restoration of electrolytes as dates are rich in potassium and milk is rich in calcium and macronutrients.
Moreover, having 2-3 snacks of high nutrition value, before going to sleep including egg whites, fish, fruit and whey protein is recommended. Eat that food which is digested slowly like complex carbohydrates, fibre, slow digesting protein yogurt and healthy plants-based oils for maximizing energy for the whole day.
SAFARAT KHAN
Islamabad
Unusual behaviour of AC Kashmore
For years, Government of Sindh has immensely been working hard for the betterment and welfare of public in order to make their both ends meet thru effective policies. And prior to those policies, the role of Revenue Employees is significant and considered as noteworthy as Sindh Province agriculturally is one of the top revenue generating sector. On district level, for effective implementation of government policies, the post of Assistant Commissioner ought to be potentially responsive. Apropos of it, the role of AC Kashmore in has lately been opposite and irresponsible. For past years, the revenue offices has not provided any promising solace to district’s public and nor any landlord. If any landlord is happen to go for passbook or certificate in Revenue office, the AC Kashmore pretends to turn on claiming problem and asks bribe in exchange of problem’s solution.
Recently appointed AC has crossed his very limits of power and inexorably made public’s life extremely miserable. Public of district Kashmore is reported to have claimed that AC Kashmore’s behaviour towards us has been quarrelsome. His behaviour towards public is evidently changed since C.M Sindh announced for strict lockdown throughout Sindh Province due to Coronavirus. He then started to bribe the shopkeepers in exchange of remaining their shops open for as long as they want. If someone would refuse to pay bribe, the AC would have locked up with the help police. Be it the man of vegetable cart, vendors, shopkeepers, petrol pump owners, etc. Recently, C.M Sindh issued an order to prevent the hodgepodge in wheat grain, which is indeed a plausible call. But AC Kashmore decided to ‘not take it granted’ and wisely used this opportunity to blackmail landlords. Since then, scores of raids have been attempted on various Mills.
CALIMULLAH KHOSO
Kashmore
