Health emergency

ISLAMABAD: With countries shutting their doors to foreigners in the wake of stopping the coronavirus, a health emergency needs to be imposed in our country. Unfortunately, two cases have been reported in Pakistan, one in Islamabad, and the other in Karachi. Pakistan claims to have excellent quarantine facilities at major airports so travellers from countries affected with the virus must be checked thoroughly. For the time being, pilgrims from coronavirus-hit countries have been stopped by Saudi Arabia as a preventive measure. For the safety and security of the public, the Health Ministry of Pakistan must launch awareness schemes on electronic and print media as well as social media platforms about symptoms, treatment and preventive measures of the virus. More importantly, the public in general must avoid eating food at eateries that do not having clean and hygienic food. Prevention is better than cure. Pakistan should also minimise travelling to and from virus-affected countries. Facilities to diagnose the virus should also be established in big cities to nip the evil in the bud. The government is supposed to put in much action to tackle this impending danger for the health of the public at large.

Iftikhar Mirza

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2020.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.