Healthcare system set to be overwhelmed again

This year, like the previous one, is expected to see rise in spread of Covid, dengue, malaria

KARACHI:

While the previous year gave Sindh much needed respite from the rampant spread of the coronavirus, it was other diseases, particularly dengue and malaria, that kept its healthcare system burdened.

For this year, the mosquito borne viral diseases are not a concern at the moment but a new variant of Covid-19, which is wreaking havoc in China, might start spreading like wildfire in the province as well.

Professor Dr Saeed Khan, Head of Pathology at Dow University of Health Sciences, whilst sounding the alarm about the new variant, predicted that the coronavirus would become prevalent again in the first few months of 2023. “The cold weather will further aid the spread of the new variant in Sindh. This is evidenced by the fact that we are already seeing a rise in cases of common cold, fever, and flu,” said Dr Khan.

Professor Dr Rafiq Khanani, the President of the Pakistan Infection Control Society, concurring with Dr Khan, opined that since no disease has ever been completely eliminated from Pakistan, it would not be surprising to see an upsurge in coronavirus cases in Sindh. “However, this holds true for all infectious diseases in the province due to the provincial government’s lack of political expediency and lack of enthusiasm in finding practical solutions for medical challenges,” he remarked. Dr Khanani’s assessment holds weight as the lack of precautionary measures led to over 23,000 people in Sindh being affected with dengue in 2022; whereas, a mammoth 400,000 residents of the province were affected with malaria in 2022.

As per Dr Khanani, both of the mosquito borne viral diseases will make a comeback this year too if the government does not act in a timely fashion.

Apart from dengue and malaria, Dr Sharaf Ali Shah, a former director of the Sindh AIDS Control Program, was of the view that this year HIV/AIDS cases would increase in the province as well.

Dr Shah’s fears might not be misplaced as overall reported cases in the country of HIV/AIDS swelled to 210,000 in 2022. However, the increase in patients of the potentially deadly virus was not Dr Shah’s only prediction for 2023.

“The icing on the cake is that there will be a crippling medicine shortage this year due to our economic conditions,” he said. Dr Abdul Aziz Memon, Central President of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, concurred with Dr Shah’s prediction and said that as things stand the pharmaceutical industry only has a raw material stock for the next two months. In light of Dr Memon’s revelation, the Express Tribune spoke to Muhammad Atif Haji Hanif, President of Pakistan’s Wholesale Chemist Council, about the troubles that were about to hit the pharmaceutical industry in 2023.

“Around 60% of the raw materials used to make medications in Pakistan is imported from China and 40% from India. We pay for these in dollars and since there is foreign exchange crunch in the country, it would be hard to procure these raw materials, which will result in a medicine shortage. Therefore, 2023 will be a tough year for the country and its people,” explained Hanif.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2023.