‘Impossible to impose complete lockdown’

Sealing hotspots yielded results: health minister

ISLAMABAD:

The imposition of a complete lockdown across the country is ‘impossible’ given the current socio-economic climate of the country. However, the ‘smart lockdown’ strategy implemented in different areas of the federal capital had yielded satisfactory results.

This was stated by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza on Friday during a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Health. MNA Dr Afzal Dhandla chaired the meeting.

Dr Mirza said that due to the ongoing economic climate of the country, it was impossible to implement a complete lockdown. However, he said that the government is focusing on imposing a ‘smart lockdown’ policy - which seals selective areas for two weeks - and results in different areas of Islamabad were quite satisfactory.

He said that only 113 novel coronavirus (Covid-19) positive cases were detected in the federal capital out of the 3,000 tests conducted over the past 24. So far, at least 13,195 Covid-19 cases have been reported in the federal capital with 129 associated deaths.

Briefing the committee about the current situation surrounding the in the country and the efforts made to stop its spread, Dr Mirza said that they had prepared a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). These SOPs are being enforced through the district administration and the district health authority.

The SAPM further said the health ministry is focusing on enhancing testing capacity for Covid-19 and a comprehensive plan has been prepared in this regard.

Medicines at Parliament lodges

The committee, however, expressed its concerns over the absence of oxygen and other crucial medicines for parliamentarians who are infected by Covid-19 at the dispensary of the Parliament Lodges.

The body asked the health ministry to ensure that all staff at the Parliament Lodges are tested for Covid-19 to overcome the spread of the viral disease.

The SAPM directed the relevant authorities to address the grievances of parliamentarians.

Supporting provinces

On the support provided by the federal government to the provinces, Dr Mirza said that some 1,000 oxygenated beds along with ventilators and other electromedical equipment were provided to the provincial governments by the end of June. An additional 1,100 beds will be provided this month, he said.

The special assistant further said that some 5,000 health workers will be trained in collaboration with Chinese experts. Of these, 1,000 have already been trained for critical care management.

The committee deferred the Pakistan Health Research Council (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill 2019, and the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (Amendment) Bill 2019, until its next meeting.

CDA Hospital

Separately, the Capital Hospital, administered by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has made five ventilators operational. Moreover, qualified and trained doctors have been deputed.

The health ministry and CDA on Friday said that six doctors have been deputed at the Capital Hospital, three each from the Federal Government (Polyclinic) and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (Pims) to operate these ventilators.

Moreover, the hospital has enhanced the capacity of its Covid-19 isolation ward from 50 beds to 85 beds.

Furthermore, 20 BiPAP machines are also now available in the hospital’s isolation ward along with three portable X-ray machines.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2020.