Daily Times

Unfortunately, we live in a country where immorality is a bigger threat than corona. I feared more for how our nation would combat with the chaos, which comes as complimentary with the disease itself rather than the health-related repercussions. What frightened me was that this disease would test our nation’s morals and ethics more thoroughly than it would test our immunities.

But the situation is nearly inverse in the case of the former, i.e. morals of our people. In an attempt to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, the government of Pakistan imposed lockdown. Yet, this comes straight from my heart as I see families starving and people taking their own lives as they could not afford the most necessities. Schools are closed and daily wage labourers have lost their bread and butter.

Under mounting pressure of the business and trade community, Punjab government decided to ease the lockdown ahead of Eid ul Fitr, but with strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised to maintain social distancing to avoid further spread of the coronavirus disease.

Some wondered whether the masses were at fault for not taking the infection seriously when the prime minister himself downplayed the dangers of the virus by saying that it was a “mild flu” in his earlier address to the nation. The situation worsened when the number of persons affected by the pandemic increased alarmingly and so did the death toll. Health minister said that it was not solely the government’s responsibility to stem the spread of the virus, and people were equally to blame for it.

Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHME) Department Secretary Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan released the data on treatment and available facilities in the teaching hospitals of Punjab as well as provincial capital on directives from Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Friday. Surprisingly, according to the official figures, most of the beds reserved for COVID-19 patients in the teaching hospitals and isolation wards are still unoccupied. As per the latest data released by the SHME secretary, from the 46 teaching hospitals of Punjab, 4,884 patients have recovered and returned to their homes. In all public teaching hospitals of Punjab, 4,168 beds are unoccupied out of the 6,305 reserved for the COVID-19 patients. Similarly, in isolation wards of the teaching hospitals of Punjab, 3,329 beds are available out of 4,586 reserved for the coronavirus patients. In Lahore’s teaching hospitals, 1,687 beds are unoccupied out of 2,333 reserved. In isolation wards of government teaching hospitals in Lahore, 1,382 beds are unoccupied out of 1,631 reserved for COVID-19 patients. In the high dependency units (HDUs) in entire Punjab, 628 beds are unoccupied out of 1,175 reserved for the coronavirus patients whereas, in the HDUs of Lahore’s teaching hospitals, 243 beds are unoccupied out of 518. In entire Punjab, 211 ventilators are available out of 433 reserved whereas in Lahore, 62 ventilators are unoccupied out of 204 reserved for COVID patients.

I happened to visit a government hospital in Lahore to see a COVID-19 patient. above mentioned are the facts regarding vacant beds and ventilators but unfortunately, it has no concern with reality. Hospitals seemed to be unable to manage the huge number of corona suspects. Confirmed cases of Corona were not looked after according to the SOPs. Beds are being placed regardless of ideal distance, cleanliness is not being maintained, medicines are short whereas the basic facilities are not being provided to those admitted in hospitals.No restriction is made in the corona emergency ward as many people can come and visit the patient which can cause the disease to transmit into others. Different heart-wrenching incidents occurred at the beginning of June. Yes! you listened correctly. People are losing lives because of insufficient facilities in hospitals.

Official statistics indicate a 300 per cent increase in several coronavirus patients and 332 per cent increase in deaths across Punjab last month. The data shows that the province had 6,733 patients on May 1, while the number surpassed 26,240 on May 31. Similarly, the total number of people in the province who lost the battle against coronavirus disease was 115 on May 1 and reached 497 on May 31.

Sooner or later, the battle against corona pandemic will be over but to prevent the contemporary situation, lockdown restrictions must be relaxed. The government must direct the authorities concerned to ensure strict compliance with the SOPs in the province to rein in the exponential spread of coronavirus. In the case of negligence, the state will have to enforce its writ, because it is the nation fighting against the pandemic, not individuals.

The writer is a human rights activist, a blogger