It is important to invest in indigenously-built inexpensive testing kits
SUKKUR: It is widely believed that the recent tally of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan does not present the ground reality, and the real numbers might be much higher than the official figures being presented. Therefore, experts are calling for an increase in the country’s testing capacity.
It is also important to note that countries like the US, Italy and Germany have a far better health system than ours. Since they are more technologically and economically advanced, they are able to test a larger number of people more efficiently. On the contrary, the situation is quite complex in Pakistan — a country crippled by an ailing economy, poor health infrastructure, untrained health professionals, poverty and above all social ignorance.
Since an increase in the testing capacity is the ultimate solution which will help in quantifying the actual damage that the pandemic has done, it is important to invest in indigenously-built inexpensive testing kits and a network of advanced labs in order to materialise testing capabilities at the earliest.
Kamran Akhtar Siddiqui
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2020.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
