Ease in lockdown increases COVID-19 burden of disease

KARACHI: A meeting of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) was recently held at the PMA House Karachi via video call.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Ikram Ahmed Tunio (Larkana), President, PMA Centre Dr. S M Qaisar Sajjad (Karachi), Secretary-General, PMA Centre, Dr. Qazi Wasiq (Karachi), Treasurer, PMA Centre, Dr. Salma Aslam Kundi (Abbottabad), President-Elect, PMA Centre, Dr. Ashraf Nizami (Lahore), President, PMA Lahore, Dr. Malik Shahid Shaukat (Lahore), General-Secretary, PMA Lahore, Dr. Sahibzada Syed Masood us Syed (Sialkot), President, PMA Punjab, Dr. Amir Saleem (Kasur), Joint Secretary-I, PMA Centre, Dr. Fareed Sumalani (Quetta), President, PMA Balochistan, Dr. Mushtaq (Quetta), President, PMA Quetta, Dr. Saeed Ahmed (Quetta), Joint Secretary-II, PMA Centre, Dr. S Tipu Sultan (Karachi), Ex-President, PMA Centre, Dr. Sharif Hashmani (Karachi), President, PMA Karachi, Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro (Karachi), General-Secretary, PMA Karachi, and Dr. Shershah Syed (Karachi) attended the meeting.

The meeting expressed grave concern over the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision about ending the country's lockdown. Ending the lockdown will increase the COVID-19 burden of disease. The load of corona patients at hospitals will increase, which will have horrifying consequences. The PMA always respects the verdicts of our courts, but as far as the coronavirus situation is concerned, the Supreme Court should consider the doctors of the country.

Doctors, nurses, and paramedics are fighting against the coronavirus at the risk of their lives. They are very distressed about the coronavirus situation. More than 1100 healthcare workers have been infected with the coronavirus. Twelve doctors have died. Two of the deceased doctors died while treating corona patients, whereas ten other doctors died while treating non-corona patients.

Doctors, nurses, and paramedics are working very hard at the quarantine and isolation centers, HDUs, and ICUs to treat coronavirus patients. Moreover, doctors are serving with dedication in hospital wards, emergencies, and OPDs in both public and private sector hospitals.

In this situation, we request the government to control the coronavirus while managing the economic conditions of the people of Pakistan.

We humbly request the general public to take care of themselves. The coronavirus is a reality, take it seriously. It is a potentially fatal disease that has killed 320,448 people and has affected 4,910,481 people worldwide. Director-General, WHO, on 11th March 2020, declared the COVID-19 as a pandemic, which has now reached 213 countries.

We request you to adopt preventive measures like hand washing or hand sanitizing, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and avoiding hugging or handshaking, particularly during Eid days.

-MN Report