Title Summary of the Coronavirus Situation in Pakistan

Description The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the coronavirus epidemic as a
global public health emergency of international concern. On 11 February 2020, the
virus was named by the WHO as ‘severe acute respiratory tract coronavirus-2.
Pakistan was the 48th country who reported the first 2 cases on 26 th February 2020. The
Federal health Minister Dr. Zafar Mirza confirmed the first two cases one each from
Karachi and Islamabad all the confirm cases history shows recent travels to Iran and
Syria or London, within 15 days after the first case the number of cases soars to 471
and continuous.
Pakistan borders countries infected with COVID-19, including China, an epicenter of
the disease that currently has the highest number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in
the begging, to the north, and Iran, a country with the third highest number of COVID-
19-associated mortalities, to the west; Italy has the second highest number of deaths.
This geographical location, as well as a continual increase in the number of confirmed
cases, demands a high level of preparedness and requires actions to be taken promptly
before the situation becomes worse8. The WHO states that countries should take steps
to prevent and limit further spread of the virus, including active surveillance, early
detection, quarantine, clinical management, and tracing of close contacts.
Pakistan is on a dangerous path when it comes to the expansion of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country. Many analysts’ estimates suggest that
the country has a window of just one to two weeks before things get out of control,
which could wreak havoc across Pakistan. Pakistan’s decision-makers need to make
urgent and realistic decisions to not only save thousands of lives, but also the country’s
fragile economy.
After declaration of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Pakistan government took several
measures to cope with this zoonotic illness. First, the federal government, in
collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority, established a system to screen every
passenger who had traveled directly or indirectly from China and other countries. After
the importation of COVID-19 from Iran, Pakistan also started closed monitoring and
more active screening of passengers travelling from Iran. Media reports highlighted
that, although a screening system was established, lapses have been seen in detection,
which required a more effective system to be installed. The Premier of Pakistan and
the health authorities admit this not even a single case of Covid-19 had been came
from China. The main reason of the corona outbreak in the country are of those who
came back from Iran via Taftan and the ill planning of the government to handle those
at the Taftan Iran border.
The Pakistani National Institute of Health (NIH) has played a pivotal role in devising
and circulating protocols regarding COVID-19 prevention, transmission and defection,
as well as launching public awareness campaigns. These relate to the use of personal
protective equipment and facemasks, the handling of suspected cases, sample
collection and transport through virus transport medium, and adequate hand and
general body hygiene, etc. The federal NIH also provides support to all Pakistani
provinces for establishing provincial surveillance units.
To prevent the spread of the virus in the country the National Security Council meeting
was held 23 March chaired by the Prime Minister Imran khan. The committee was
decided to announce National Health Emergency in the country to stop the spread,
under this emergency all the borders with Iran, Afghanistan and China was closed on
immediate effect. The government decided to close all public and private education
institutions across the country until April 5. The number of patients in the country
double every week, which is an alarming situation. The government had not decided
full lockdown in the country because of fearing of shortage of food supplies to the poor
people. The premier already announced that due to the financial situation Pakistan
cannot shut all the sectors besides provinces can decide on their own.
The government lack of testing kits and the personal protective equipment’s for the
doctors and paramedics working on the frontline, many doctors working on the
frontline also contacted virus across the country and now in isolation. Doctors across
the country also warns the government that they will stop the work if the PPE’s are not
provided. Pakistan lacks of medical equipment’s across the country and many analysts
says that if the government didn’t take corrective actions on time the situation will
gets worsen. The Supreme court of Pakistan asks the government to submit a detail
report about the arrangements done so far by the government to control the epidemic,
in this regard the government submit a detail report to the top court of the country but
the top was not satisfied and demanded the resignation of the federal health minter
form the government.
To facilitate the daily wagers and stop people dying from hunger due to the lockdown
in the country the Prime Minister launched IHSAS program an 8 billion dollar
financial assistance program under which 12000 PKR will be given. The Prime
Minister also pledged the international community to give debt relief to the developing
countries to fight against the coronavirus. he appeal to the international community to
facilitate developing international lenders( world bank, Asian Development bank and
International Monetary Fund) to provide financial grants as we don’t have financial
capabilities to control the pandemic. The country lockdown time period is going to
expire on April 14 and the National Coordination Committee meeting will discuss
whether to ease the lockdown or to extend for another 2 weeks. The provinces already
suggested the federal government to extend for another 2 weeks as the local
transmission of the virus is on the peak.