More then salutes and songs for doctors----------
The current COVID-19 challenge is all the greater given the country’s weak public health system. Until now, over 2200 people in Pakistan were confirmed to have the virus with at least 35 deaths. We all are saluting and praising doctors by showing fabricated gestures on national and local media but unfortunately the on ground situation is getting worse day by day and the system even is not able to provide basic personal protective equipment (PPE) to the front line warriors who are in real danger.
The number of cases in the country is rapidly growing and the doctors are now becoming demotivated and frustrated in patients treatment without protective kits and this is all related with top 5 cities of Pakistan and top 50-70 hospitals of Pakistan whereas the rest of the country the scenario is even worst . Yesterday, young doctors association Punjab in a press conference called on the government to provide them protective kits so they can perform their duties without the risk of contracting corona virus.
Even Chief of Pakistan’s Medical Association (PMA) said on last Saturday that medics at the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak might refuse to work unless provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) as at least 20 medical professionals in the country contracted the virus from patients.Last week, Dr. Usama Riaz, a 26 year old doctor from Pakistan’s northern Gilgit Baltistan became the country’s first front line casualty after contracting the coronavirus while screening.
Karachi the biggest metropolitan city is again facing a disastrous situation and hospitals Like AKU Hospital ,SIUT & Liaquat National the Medical Industry giants from private sector health care facility to screen and treat patients in the country suspended their coronavirus testing for few days citing the “over capacity of patients.” These hospitals were unable to explain the exact number of their medical staff exposed to the COVID -19.
Doctors of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital are working relentlessly against Corona while wearing these large "DUSTBIN SHOPPERS" to protect themselves, as no protective gears have provided to them. All these stake holders, who are continuously telling on media that they have provided enough to the Hospitals and Doctors, these actual ground realities and facts are a slap on their claims.So many Doctors have been quarantined after being exposed to Corona positive patients without PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) and few Doctors have started given their resignations.
A day for doctors on media with gestures and songs and salutes are not enough for them. We need to stop our politics and blame game on PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment’s). Every day we hear in headlines that one more loaded flight has reached Pakistan from China and then you can clearly see our ministers and stake holders wearing those N95 masks during their press conferences and visits.On the other end,hospitals are threatening to fire health-care workers who publicize their working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic -- and have in some cases followed through.
A female doctor from a reputed government hospital told me in person that we are not allowed to complain about our working conditions during this whole fight against COVID-19. Doctors and health-care workers “must have the ability to tell the public what is really going on inside the facilities where they are caring for Covid-19 patients,” she said.
"Not a single N95 mask has reached to the doctors of small hospitals which China has sent for hospitals ".Our Doctors donot required slogans and salutes, they require PPE and that is their basic right which is still to be fulfilled.
Remember ,"If our Doctors fail in this fight, the whole nation will pay the price “.
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