2,039 Confirmed Cases 1,931 Active Cases 26 Deaths 82 Recoveries
The medical experts warned Pakistan’s health authorities that the virus could easily go out of hands and turn into an epidemic, therefore they need to enforce strict monitoring of passengers coming by air and sea routes as well.
After Covid-19 cases in the country crossed 237, Govt of Sindh closed OPDs in all public hospitals.
Young Doctors Association ended their protest after reaching an agreement with the provincial government. The association announced to boycott service hospitals after 150 doctors were arrested for protesting outside CM's house.
16,817 Confirmed Cases 12,117 Active Cases 385 Deaths 4,315 Recoveries
According to the protesters, by putting the doctors at risk, the government is also risking the health of patients who visit the hospitals daily. Dr Shabbir Ahmed, the district focal person for coronavirus, said that the government had provided them the safety kits – consisting of an N95 mask, suit, goggles, cap, shoe covers and gloves – in adequate numbers. “But we issue these kits only to those doctors who work in the quarantine area or those taking samples from suspected patients,” he clarified, contending that it was not possible for the authorities to provide kits to every doctor in the government hospitals.
HRW suggested Pakistani authorities should take urgent steps to mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19. “The economically marginalized are among the most vulnerable groups affected by COVID-19, and the government should urgently find ways to protect them.” - Brad Adams
Quetta police arrested 50 doctors who were protesting against the lack of protective personal equipment (PPE) kits for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the country's battle against Covid-19.
With the demise of Dr Soomro, the total number of deaths due to coronavirus in Sindh rose to 18, health department officials said but added that a formal announcement in this regard would be made
Pakistani doctors warned of deplorable conditions on the frontlines of the country's coronavirus outbreak, describing the pandemic as untreatable in one region and accusing police of brutally suppressing protests over working conditions.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) noted that while "politicians and bureaucrats are often seen wearing N-95 masks during meetings and visits… health professionals are facing a dire shortage of (these masks) and PPE (personal protective equipment)". Indeed, while many countries around the world regularly take to the streets to applaud their health workers during the crisis, doctors in one city - where almost 25 medical officials have already tested positive - were beaten by the police, for daring to protest over the lack of PPE.
Pakistan's healthcare system was never designed, even on paper, for emergency response preparedness. "Our hospitals are not planned for it, people are not trained, isolation facilities are not there and there is no contingency plan. The system is as old as 1947 and we never thought to revise or improve it," Dr Luxmi said, not mincing any words.
Healthcare workers in Pakistan are voicing concerns about the inability of Pakistan’s healthcare system to cope should the number of COVID-19 patients continue to rise exponentially. Dr Kashaf Khalid in Sialkot stated, "At many facilities what we have observed is that doctors had to protest or refuse to work and then they were given the minimal required PPE. Still, there are many hospitals where doctors are working in ERs/OPDs [emergency rooms/outpatient departments] and wards that either have to arrange PPE for themselves or are simply working without it."
The Young Doctors Association (YDA) urged Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for provision of insurance services to doctors and paramedic staff along with ensuring availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) as per World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
Young doctors and nurses intensified their agitation after a clash with police at the health secretariat where they went to press the authorities into accepting their demands. Police sprang into action when doctors tried to enter the premises of the health secretariat after their first meeting with officials remained inconclusive.
Frontline health workers in Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab carried out sit-in protests against the poor quality of their personal protection equipment as they try to care for people stricken by the deadly coronavirus.
They were protesting against the Punjab Health Minister Prof Dr Yasmin Rashid, holding her primarily responsible for “non-provision” of the personal protective equipment (PPE) to the health professionals fighting coronavirus. Earlier, a joint meeting of the Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, the Grand Health Alliance (GHA), and the Young Nursing Association was held at the health secretariat where the medics and other employees of Lahore’s hospitals had staged a sit-in.
440 healthworkers have been reported positive for Covid-19.
72,460 Confirmed Cases 44,834 Active Cases 1,543 Deaths 26,083 Recoveries
Pakistani authorities made a bad start to the coronavirus response, using the crisis to push through an IMF agenda of hospital privatization. Faced with protests by health professionals, the government immediately opted for repression — showing that it considers health care for the masses mere unnecessary spending.
"Pakistani doctors have emerged as the most-affected ones by coronavirus among their healthcare peers, including paramedics and nurses, according to a May 4 situation report by the World Health Organization (WHO). Of the 509 healthcare workers affected by the novel coronavirus, there were 263 doctors (52%), 171 paramedics (33%), and 75 nurses (15%). In total, they form almost 2.5% of Pakistan's almost 21,000 COVID-19 cases."
"With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in South Asia, Pakistan was already in crisis before the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, the reported closing of maternity wards in Islamabad, the capital, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province could exacerbate an already grim situation, especially for impoverished women and girls."
The severity of transmission of COVID-19 among healthcare workers can be judged from the fact that, according to officials, 257 healthcare providers have contracted the virus between May 5 and May 9, with one losing his life during this five-day period. “Eighteen staff members of Karachi’s only specialised burns centre at the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been asked to go into self-isolation,” an official of the federal health ministry told The News on Sunday.
As Covid-19 infections surge in Pakistan and the death toll rises, healthcare workers are fast becoming its target. According to a recent report by the World Health Organisation, over 500 Pakistani healthcare workers have been infected by the virus, and among them, doctors are the most affected.
Many medical workers, struggling under the physical and mental weight of the crisis amid lack of quantity and quality essential protective equipment, fear for their lives. “Everyone’s scared and exhausted. But we are fighting, we are pushing the limits. All we ask is that government and people understand that they can help us help them by staying at homes and providing us quality protective gear.”
Over a dozen people barged into and vandalised the isolation ward at Karachi's Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) after a coronavirus patient being treated there died, officials said. The violence occurred after the hospital's administration refused to hand over the patient's body to the family.
Young Doctors' Association called a protest which included doctors and paramedical staff to demand the provision of risk allowances and enhanced security in health facilities during the pandemic.
Violence erupted after dozens of people vandalised the [Civil Hospital] facility and attacked doctors, allegedly because the medical staff "delayed handing over the body" of a Covid-19 patient.
213,470 Confirmed Cases 108,273 Active Cases 4,395 Deaths 100,802 Recoveries
M. Waqar Bhatti June 2, 2020 HomeToday's PaperPakistan Facing covid-19 and violence simultaneously, healthcare community in Pakistan has lost 24 colleagues so far Fighting violence against them and the lethal coronavirus simultaneously at hospitals without having personal protective equipment and security at their workplace, Pakistan’s healthcare providers’ community has so far lost 24 of their colleagues, including 15 doctors and a medical student, two nurses and six paramedics
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government extended the state of emergency in the province until Aug 10 under a recently promulgated ordinance in light of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. A notification issued by the health secretary with the chief minister’s approval under Section 3 of the KP Epidemic Control and Emergency Ordinance, 2020, said the emergency was imposed due to the transmission of Covid-19 pandemic, which posed a serious threat to people’s health in the province.
Citizens are attacking doctors in hospitals after their relatives died.
Grand Health Alliance (GHA) gave a three-day ultimatum to Sindh Government to accept the demands of healthcare workers; otherwise they would carry out a strike from Karachi to Kashmore.
According to official data, 44 patients are admitted to various isolation wards of Nishtar Hospital, of which eight are in critical condition. From April 1 to June 7, 78 people lost their lives because of the coronavirus in Nishtar Hospital. Up to 53 employees of the hospital, including 34 doctors, 13 nurses and eight paramedics and others, were affected by the virus.
Doctors, nurses and paramedics working in public-sector hospitals across Sindh joined hands to stage a province-wide token protest in an attempt to push the Sindh government to accept their demands. The protests were organized by the Sindh Grand Health Alliance (GHA), which consists of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Young Doctors Association, Young Nurses Association and Paramedical Joint Action Committee.
Doctors, paramedics and nurses continued their boycott of work at outpatient departments (OPDs) in several government hospitals across the province to force authorities to accept their demands.
About 400 nurses, paramedical staff and doctors from all the districts of GB gathered outside the district headquarters hospital, Gilgit, and marched towards the Chief Minister’s House in Chinar Bagh, where they staged a sit-in blocking the River Road.The protesters were wearing masks and holding banners inscribed with their demands.
The doctors, paramedical staff and nurses continued their boycott of OPDs and general wards on the consecutive 12th day throughout the Sindh province. "The OPDs patients have suffered a lot due to two-week long protest of health care professionals in Sindh. Thousands of patients seeking consultation had to return home with sheer disappointment as doctors, paramedical staff and nurses continued boycott of OPDs and general wards."
With nearly 40,000 of the over 105,000 infected cases found in Sindh alone, the worst fears of healthcare providers in Karachi are becoming real. The news comes as Pakistan has further relaxed the lockdown despite serious criticism from medical professionals.
279,146 Confirmed Cases 25,149 Active Cases 5,970 Deaths 248,027 Recoveries
In an open letter, Amnesty International calls upon Dr @zfrmrza (Dr Zafar Mirza) to promptly investigate all acts of violence against health workers across Pakistan, and provide them with as much protection - both from attacks and the virus - as they need.
Nurses of Lyari general hospital protested against the issuance of show cause notices to absent nurses of hospital. According to notice they are absent from their duties since 11 May 2020
On the death of a young patient in civil hospital Hyderabad relatives became violent and one of them slapped an on duty lady doctor. Hospital security guards handed over father of deceased to police who was released after written apology.
Protesting against non issuance of salaries, manipulation in service books and other issues lady health workers and other employees held a protest in Karachi.
According to a study on ‘Shaping 21st Century Public Health in Pakistan — An Actionable Agenda for Achieving Universal Health Coverage’ published by Tabadlab, a think-tank based in Islamabad, Pakistan’s health system has “struggled to effectively and efficiently serve the needs of an ever-growing population”. The report also states that anchoring Pakistan’s public health transformation around universal health coverage (UHC) offers a solid framework to strengthen fundamentals and shape a strong and resilient health system for Pakistan. According to the WHO, UHC means that all people can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. The study suggests that strengthening Pakistan’s health system requires strategic reorganisation of healthcare delivery consistent with community needs, elevation of preventative and promotive healthcare strategies, and targeted investment in the core system components i.e. service delivery, financing, capacity enhancement, public policy and legislation, governance and leadership, etc.
Pakistan was one of 57 countries prior to the epidemic that was listed as critically deficient in human health resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has, of course, presented an additional burden to this system. Pakistani healthcare professions already have a large workload and such professionals have had to adapt to a limited supply of beds, teleconsultations, and black-market dealing for equipment while they have experienced an increase in violent attacks, harassment, and discrimination.
296,149 Confirmed Cases 8,881 Active Cases 6,298 Deaths 280,970 Recoveries
While Pakistan’s achievement in fight against the coronavirus needs constant efforts to prevent a spike in new cases, the National Institute of Health (NIH) that played a key role in establishing a number of labs for Covid-19 tests has again become headless after three years.
The Punjab province has witnessed a sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 new cases after Eidul Azha. The everyday cases which had dropped to [on average] below 100 during the last one week, again increased to around 300. Though, some medical experts were not perturbed and declared it a routine surge, others believed that it might be a signal for the beginning of the second wave of virus. Punjab reported 277 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 besides five deaths during the last 24 hours against 235 a day earlier
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