Joint meeting review COVID-19 situation

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

The representatives of medical and law practitioners in Karachi on April 14 urged the government to expand corona screening and testing facilities to district level at the earliest.

They were jointly giving a press briefing about the existing conditions of healthcare workers in the context of coronavirus infection. 

They appeared highly concerned over the working conditions of doctors and their associates at hospitals and called upon the health authorities to ensure immediate provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for the doctors nurses, paramedics and sanitary workers engaged in providing assistance to COVID-19 affected people at various public and private sectors’ health facilities. 

The speakers represented the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, the Young Doctors’ Association (Sindh), the Young Nurses Association (Sindh), the Sindh Midwifery Association, the College of Family Medicine, the Sindh High Court Association and the Karachi Bar Association. 

Presenting a set of recommendations for the government, the leaders said that a mandatory and regular screening of healthcare providers handling the coronavirus confirmed patients should be done on a regular basis. 

They noted that ventilators should not be in the priority purchase list of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) rather resources should be used for expanding testing capacity and effective PPEs for healthcare workers. 

They recommended development of strict corona screening facilities at port of entry, quarantine centres and isolation centres, activation of network of community clinics, family physicians and registered general practitioners with proper PPEs and standing operating procedures. 

They suggested that the home isolation system should be promoted, with monitoring and reporting of data by registered general practitioners and community clinics. 

According to the doctors, specialty clinics and hospital outdoor patient departments (OPDs) should continue with emergency services only. 

Taking up the issue of lockdown, the speakers advised that only targeted and area specific lockdown, based on corona test results, should be done. 

The PMA Karachi President, Dr Sharif Hashmani, also made a presentation on usages of PPEs and face masks and other protective gears on the occasion.