Fahim Mumtaz
Undoubtedly, it is very encouraging that Pakistan has succeeded in achieving mark of Vaccinating 10 million citizens ,and fixing a target of 70 million people to administer Corona Vaccine till end of December this year. While apprising the Media after a meeting of NCOC, Federal Ministers Asad Umer,Fawad Chaudhry and Dr.Faisal Sultan disclosed that overall ratio of positive cases has been reduced to 3 percent which is an optimistic sign for controlling Corona virus in Pakistan.The vaccination process though remained slow initially, but now it is satisfactory as Govt.has successfully established Corona vaccination centres in sufficient numbers extending them to RHCs and THQ level through Provincial Govts.for vaccination in rural areas. Meanwhile,Rs.100 b. has been proposed to be allocated for controlling corona virus and other calamities and sudden disasters in new fiscal budget of year 2021-22 besides purchasing and managing Corona vaccine of about one billion dollar which reflects Govt.’s intensions to expedite corona control activities and bring people back to normal life. It is worth mentioning that a small pessimistic and extremists segment of society started misleading campaign against corona vaccine spreading rumours regarding its effectiveness and side-effects of various vaccines. Such elements are condemnable and rather some legal action should be taken against these people.The citizens should get corona vaccine administered by visiting nearest vaccination centre themselves so as to bring the country and society to the normal life.The Govt.and NGOs should also play their role to make citizens aware of significance of corona vaccine and remove off all apprehensions about different brand vaccines through awareness campaigns of publicity. As the corona pandemic is challenging global issue since last one and half year and the world has been confronting with and facing unprecedented devastation of human and socio-economic life due to spread of Covid-19 which caused death of millions of people and loss of Economic,Trade and business in trillions of dollars. Meanwhile,medical professionals, experts, researchers, biotechnology Specialists and vaccine preparating and research departments, Labs, and agencies around the world remained hectically engaged to find out treatment and controlling this global corona virus pandemic. In result of Experts’ untiring efforts,the world has though succeeded in developing the corona vaccine and the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries around the world are now speedily administering vaccine to their citizens,but still a hot pursuit is needed to be continued till a complete solution is not achieved in shape effective treatment or elimination of this cruel Corona virus. Till the moment of this writing, according to updates issued by World Health Organization (WHO) and Johns Hopkins University,More than 48 crore 76 lakh people worldwide have been vaccinated against corona virus. According to data released by the World Health Organization, more than 17 crore 52 lakh confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide so far,while More than 37 lakh 85 thousand people have died of Covid-19. In Pakistan, more than 9 lakh and 39 thousand confirmed cases of Corona have been reported ,while more than 21,000 people have died. The data at Provincial level is so far as that a total of more than 3 lakh 43 thousand confirmed cases have been reported in Punjab, 3 lakh 27 thousand in Sindh, more than 1 lakh 35 thousand in KPK, more than 82 thousand in the federal territory of Islamabad,26 thousand in Balochistan and 19 Thousand in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Since the beginning of June, there has been a marked decrease in corona positive cases in Pakistan and now it is almost less than 3 percent in total. The United States and European countries were badly affected with COVID-19 during the first wave and during the second and third wave this year India struck with a devastating situation having 5 lakh positive cases and one lakh deaths daily. USA,India and Brazil are among top three in having highest number of corona positive patients as per more than 3 crore 34 lakh,2 crore 92 lakh and one crore 72 lakh respectively,while millions of confirmed cases have been reported in European countries besides millions of deaths.Corona has proved to be perhaps the worst and most devastating natural disaster and global pandemic in recent centuries, affecting the economic, social and political life and routine life of countries and peoples around the world. Corona vaccine dozes are being administered around the world,but there are also concerns about its effectiveness and its side effects. The fact is that the corona virus has become so dangerous that it changes its shape and form and becomes more dangerous by mutating two or three times. Therefore, even experts are not able to form a definitive opinion about its prevention methods and treatment. ? Efforts to check the spread of Corona virus in Pakistan over the past one and half year have largely remained successful. In this regard, the NCOC and Pakistan’s medical professionals should be appreciated for adopting a balanced and effective strategy. According to the Pakistan Medical Association (PMDC), 203 doctors and 32 paramedical staff have sacrificed their lives after becoming infected during treatment of Corona patients. These are our front line heroes in the war against Corona and they deserved Salute and highest appreciations. Last year, the first wave of Corona in Pakistan was not so much intensive as it was during the second and third waves in March, April and May this year. Compared to the horrifying situation of Corona in India,the intensity of Corona was relatively low in Pakistan. The federal and provincial governments, through the NCOC forum, developed a comprehensive strategy for the treatment of corona-infected patients, and controlling its spread which ranged from lockdown, smart lockdown to the establishment of Corona treatment centers, availability of ventilators and financial assistance to the extremely poor lot. However, In Provinces, the government has made arrangements for possible treatment by setting up corona treatment centers in government hospitals at divisional and district level.If there had been no arrangement of anti-Corona treatment in Govt. Hospitals, citizens might have not been able to afford treatment in a private hospitals as they charge very high and expenditures go out of patient’s reach . In Lahore,PKLI Hospital and Mayo Hospital also have excellent exclusive centers for the treatment of Corona patients.Apart from these, corona treatment facilities are also available in other government hospitals in major cities. At district level,the Corona treatment are not up to the mark because of no separate ICUs for corona patients in DHQ hospitals and unavailability of C-pipes, bi-pipes and ventilators facilities and unavailability of ICU experts and pulmonologists for handling corona patients. In Punjab, despite of her sickness of health,the Provincial Minister for Health, Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, deserves all credit and commendations for her tireless day and night efforts for making integrated treatment arrangements for corona patients. It is worth mentioning, during the Corona Crisis, private hospitals, chemists, druggists, labs and Corona protection equipments including medicines, injections, medical tests, masks and protection kits, charged very high prices from patients and customers.The patients who happened to get treatment from private hospitals faced Economic disaster due to heavy charges of such hospitals and even some lost their loved ones. During this Covid crisis,Govt.’s indifferent attitude for leting all above mentioned looters free to grab money from ailing people and not introducing any policy to restrict them from money minting is an apathy and painful.Citizens must be vaccinated against corona virus,so the sooner they are vaccinated, the more likely they are protected. It is important to note that people in general and even in Govt. semi Govt. and Private institutions, have started ignoring corona safty measures since decrease in corona cases in current month and this carelessness may cause rise in corona cases again.Even officers, Staff and People coming in Govt.offices,Banks and big business centres are not observing safety measures.The Govt.should at least ensure implementation of wearing of mask and social distancing in Govt.offices, education Institutions and public places as it did two weeks ago during lockdown,otherwise efforts of controlling corona may be effected and go in waste.Similarly,there had been informations that some ambazzelments were allegedly done by responsible Govt.high ups in corona funds and an inquiry into such wrong doings should have been initiated by the Govt. to find out facts and ensure accountibility in this behalf.
