Medical college hostels feared to be virus hotbeds

As soaring cases galvanise the government into action, the much feared second wave of the coronavirus has put medical students across Punjab at an immediate risk of viral transmission.

Early November, when Covid-19’s second spell began raising concerns within the medical community, some 80 students had already tested positive for the virus. A few weeks later, now almost 300 students across the province have started showing symptoms of a disease responsible for more than 7,248 deaths nationwide.

According to recent reports, much of these transmissions which can be traced back to college premises, have turned student hostels into a hotbed for the disease. It is feared that if not alerted and isolated immediately, infected students may act as a conduit for the infectious disease, carrying the virus to thousands of new contacts.

As a response to the growing threat, secondary healthcare departments in many Punjab colleges have imposed smart lockdowns in hostels where the virus has been detected.

In addition to that, student who had contracted the virus have also been quarantined, while the department is reportedly mulling further measures to secure the medical community.

According to Arsalan Asif, representative of a local medical students’ association, the virus has so far infected 13 students in King Edward Medical College.

Similarly eight students in Services Institute of Medical Sciences, six in Amiruddin Medical College, eight in Allama Iqbal Medical college, five in Fatima Jinnah Medical College, 10 in Rawalpindi Medical College, eight in Shalimar Medical College, eight in Bakhtwar Amin Medical College, six in Nishtar Medical University Multan, six in Punjab Medical College Faislabad, seven in Mohtarma Benazir Medical College Azad Kashmir, two in Aziz Fatima Medical College, sox in Sharif Medical College, 14 in Air Force Medical College, 15 in Khyber Medical College, five in Abbottabad International Medical College, 22 in Poonch Medical and Dental College, three in Kabir Medical College, Faisalabad Medical University 12, five in Nawaz Sharif Medical College, five in Akhtar Saeed Medical College and 17 in KMC has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

Moreover, high number of virus cases in several medical institutions including Gujju Khan Medical College and Fauji Foundation Medical College have also resulted in a suspension of all educational activities on campus. In a similar vein, many other colleges have also had to adopt various damage control measures to curb the growing viral spread.

“Young doctors and medical students have been working on the frontlines of Covid-19, as much as another other medical professional. However, despite our constant concern, nothing is being done to ascertain our safety, while students are being left to contract the virus one after another, in the line of duty. The government should take immediate notice of this, and provide timely assistance in student hostels which have turned into a hotbed for coronavirus transmissions,” opined Asif.

On the other hand, Speaking to The Express Tribune about the issue, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Capt R Muhammad Usman said that his department has recently issued orders for free viral-screening for all medical students.

“We are implementing everything we have learned from the virus’ first wave to tackle the second. Relevant teams have been directed to complete sampling in medical colleges. As soon as the results are available, we’ll decide if the college needs to be sealed or not. Those sealed, can be turned into quarantine centres for the virus but in the meanwhile, everyone is advised to adhere to SOPs and take all precautionary measures to avoid transmission.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2020.