Covid-19 death toll in Punjab nears 4k
PHOTO: EXPRESS
The year 2020 would always be remembered as the year of lockdown and deaths with as many as 3,921 people succumbing to the pandemic in the province since the outbreak in March.
The health department confirmed that at least 136,147 people in total were inflicted with the virus out of which 89.81% individuals defeated the contagion and recovered.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Spokesman for the Punjab Health Department Syed Hammad Raza claimed that the government provided the best facilities to the patients down with the virus.
“The department opened scores of field hospitals all over the province and also increased the number of available ventilators for the affected,” he highlighted adding that the government also approved a package for health professionals who passed away while fighting the pandemic.
On the other hand, Medical Officer at Jinnah hospital Lahore Dr Shabbir complained that no special incentive or risk allowance was offered to the doctors and paramedics in Punjab.
“Lahore was among the top most cities hit the hardest by the pandemic with 66,985 cases and 1,540 deaths yet the government did not overcome the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE),” he pointed out.
It is worth mentioning that throughout the year at least 2,778 health professionals contracted the contagion while performing duty. Despite hardships, they continued their job as frontline workers which is a praiseworthy feat.
“For the past nine months, I have been caring for patients in the Covid-19 isolation wards and the best defence against this disease was ‘will power’ that helped people defeat it,” Gujranwala District Hospital Medical Officer Abdul Haseeb opined.
The doctor said that although medical treatment is crucial, the support of friends and family speeds up the recovery process.
Shakeel Khan, a resident of Mianwali, seconded the views expressed by the medical officer. He was inflicted with coronavirus in March and admitted in isolation ward set up in Mayo Hospital till he recovered.
He said the behavior of the people changed right after he contracted the virus and only his family was supportive. “Acquaintances do not believe that I have completely recovered and treat me poorly,” he sadly stated about the stigma associated with the pandemic patients, “It is discouraging!”
Meanwhile, the government continued to impose smart lockdowns around the province in areas severely affected by the coronavirus. Lahore’s posh areas including Defence, Model Town, Garden Town and Gulberg were among the areas put under lockdown. Moreover, Iqbal Town, Samanabad, Awan Town, Shahdara and Mugalpura were also put under smartlockdown to slow down the first and second wave of Covid-19.
City wise infliction report by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) reveals that after the provincial capital, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala were the worst hit by the virus.
The spokesperson for the department said the coronavirus first wave’s peak was noted between May and July. The highest number of deaths (1,416) were recorded in the month of June since the pandemic struck while the second highest death toll was recorded in December.
The provincial government tried to control the menace by closing down educational institutes, transportation services, worship places, shopping areas and marriage halls among other measures. However, owing to citizen protests over prolonged lockdown, the authorities reopened the facilities with standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
Even with such expansive measures, factual deliberation reveals that Punjab suffered the most out of all the provinces of Pakistan. In December alone, 18,221 new Covid-19 patients were confirmed and 885 deaths were reported.
Up to the present, P&SHD has conducted 2,398,964 tests to confirm contagion infliction in Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2020.