Lack of protective equipment puts doctors at risk

Doctors, nurses test positive for coronavirus in DG Khan quarantine centre

LAHORE: Medical professionals and doctors are also the target of coronavirus as two doctors performing duties at DG Khan quarantine centre have been tested positive for coronavirus.

Poor arrangements and non-availability of personal protective equipment at quarantine centres has put the life of doctors and nursing staff at risk amid coronavirus.

Earlier, one doctor and nurse already became a victim of coronavirus while three nurses are also suspected to be patients of the coronavirus.

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab President Dr Salman Haseeb alleged that inefficient policies of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid have increased coronavirus positive cases among medical professionals.



Sources revealed that at a time when numbers of corona patients are increasing in Punjab, the situation is also disappointed for those doctors and paramedical staffers and nursing communities that have been performing services at isolation wards and quarantine centres set up by Punjab government.

Reportedly, two doctors performing duties at D G Khan Quarantine Centre were also tested positive for coronavirus.

The spokesman of the Primary and Secondary Health Department said that Dr Usama and Dr Saba were tested positive for coronavirus while both were shifted to the isolation ward. “Their health is stable and they are now under treatment,” said the spokesman of Primary and Secondary Health Department.

He said that Dr Usama and Dr Saba were performing duties without personal protective equipment like all doctors in DG Khan who have been working under similar conditions.

“We have prepared masks on our own due to the non-availability of kits,” said DG Khan YDA President Dr Nouman. “We demand the government to kindly see the sensitivity of coronavirus and provide us kits,” he added.

With the emergence of new cases among doctors, YDA again criticised the Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid.

It is pertinent to mention that at various hospitals young doctors are already absent from duties as they already opposed the health minister over poor arrangements in Punjab regarding the facilities given to patients and doctors at isolation wards.

“Dr Yasmeen Rashid is completely responsible regarding the increase of coronavirus among doctors,” said Dr Haseeb. He maintained that earlier, one doctor and nurse became a victim of this virus and now new cases at D G khan has been building tension among the doctors’ community.

“Our doctors are performing duties without kits and in poor arrangements. It is the negligence of health minister as she had three months to do arrangements but she failed,” said the YDA Punjab president.

Meanwhile, the patients of coronavirus are also increasing in Punjab and new cases at Mianwali, Nankana Sahib have also been declared positive after their tests.



A spokesman of Primary and Secondary Health Department stated that now a total of 419 patients of coronavirus are in Punjab including 207 Patients in DG khan Quarantine Centre and 19 confirmed cases in Multan.

The spokesman highlighted that 104 cases are in Lahore, 22 in Gujrat, eight in Gujranwala, 19 in Jhelum, 14 in Rawalpindi, one in Attock, one in Nankana Sahib, two in Mianwali, three in Multan, five in Faisalabad, three in Mandibahudin, one in Narowal, one in Rahim Yar khan and one case is in Sargodha.

“Moreover, three patients died in Punjab while the government is providing possible health facilities to patients at isolation wards,” said the spokesman.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2020.