Pakistan’s feeble defence against COVID-19

It has been thoroughly observed that outbreak of the deadliest diseases and viruses happened in the world history which killed millions of people and severely infected millions of people the world over who survived later. For instance; Third Cholera pandemic 1852-1860, Flu pandemic 1889, Sixth Cholera pandemic 1910, Flu pandemic 1918, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS 2003), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, (MERS 2013) and now COVID-19 that has recently broke out at Wuhan City in China.
After killing 3 thousand people of China, this deadliest COVID-19 travelled to rest of the countries of the world. According to current global statistics of COVID-19 the total confirmed cases in world have crossed more than a million and 5 lakh and death toll has crossed more than 90 thousands. As far as the country-wise statistics of COVID-19 are concerned, Spain’s confirmed cases crossed more than 1 lakh and 40 thousand and with more than 13 thousands death.
Italy has more than 1 lakh and 35 thousands confirmed cases with more than 17 thousands deaths. France reported more than 1 lakh and 9 thousands confirmed cases and has crossed death level to over 10 thousands. Confirmed cases in the United States crossed the number of other countries touching the figure of 4 lakh and deaths exceeding more than 13 thousands. Germany has crossed the figure of 1 lakh and 7 thousands cases whereas death toll has crossed 2 thousands. Iran confirmed more than 62 thousands cases while death toll went over more than 3 thousands. In Pakistan confirmed cases have crossed the figure of 4 thousand and death toll has exceeded 65.
These COVID-19 statistics claim that US falls in the most dangerous zone where huge devastation is knocking its doors ahead. Apart from this very unfortunate situation due to precarious existing of COVID-19, one thing has been widely observed that every country is leaving no stone unturned to win the horrible war against invisible COVID-19 enemy. As far as Pakistan is concerned, unfortunately, the country has ruthlessly failed in devising collaborative and comprehensive mechanism except politicking to defeat the lethal outbreak of C0VID-19. There are some highly significant ingredients behind this sad development.
Firstly, the lack of visionary political leadership of this country is responsible in promoting the spread of COVID-19 into country. According to medical experts the outbreak of this deadliest virus could have been contained promptly with collective feedback of all political parties if they were getting rid of their stubborn defiance and politicking for the sake of national interest. This situation explicitly demonstrates that our political leadership has often been remained inactive intentionally and extended opportunistic behavior whenever this sort of chaos happened in the history of this country.
Secondly, outright division of policy framework of provincial and federal governments and virulently criticism against each other which leaves no room for taking fruitful measures collectively against COVID-19 pandemic. It is a moment of great disappointment that on one hand global countries express unbridled excitement to contain pandemic which has become serious threat to their nations and left them at stake. On hand our provincial governments’ policies are not merely disintegrated with federal government, but they also seem busy in extending negative propaganda against each other.
For instance; The Chief Minister of Sindh took proactive and highly productive steps to halt the spread of lethal outbreak of COVID-19 in Sindh particularly and rest of provinces in generally. These great strides of Sindh province has been ruthlessly criticized and diluted the concept of complete lockdown against pandemic by Punjab and Federal governments. Interestingly, rest of provinces and Federal government itself have been successfully adopted the same fruitful mechanism that was achieved by Sindh government earlier. Moreover, in every couple of days, Prime Minister’s speech falls in a quandary that reflects lack of national coherent policy in containing the COVID-19.
Thirdly, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are globally recognized the brave soldiers who are fighting the most horrible war against the deadliest COVID-19 pandemic on frontline in every corner of the world. The picture inside our country is feeble and strongly condemnable because our brave doctors, nurses and paramedical staff execute their professional responsibilities without all necessary medical equipments and more importantly the testing kits to intensify our national testing capacity against COVID-19.
Recently, Balochistan police inhumanely dealt with the doctors and nurses who were on strike and dragged them to jail when they put up their legitimate demands to provide medical equipment to deal with the infected COVID-19 patients. This behavior of our provincial police explicitly demonstrates the prolonged inability to resolve issue with mutual consensus.
Fourthly, in democratic countries the collaborative and transparent relationship between institutions and government is considered the most beautiful element. Sadly, instead of governments’ strict measures to stay at home, maintain self isolation, practising social distance, lockdown and outright ban on all religious activities, orthodox religious parties and groups did not merely violated rules of the government, but also played their role in spreading COVID-19 to other areas of the country. This is known trust deficit which amplifies the inability of the government to deal with.
Pakistan needs to follow the successful model of South Korea “The Anti-COVID-19 Model “that has accomplished a successful lethal war against COVID-19 pandemic. This model is massively appreciated, followed and considered a ray of hope by rest of the European countries which are severely infected and the United States. This model strategy is; the fastest and highly increased capacity of testing the symptoms of infected persons, rapidly approaching the contacts of infected persons through cell phones, ATM cards and traveling history, testing results are being sent to people through messages within 24 hours, sending quarantine infected hasty, practicing social distance and self-isolation and more importantly outright lockdown in affected areas of the pandemic.
Lastly, let the crying on spilt milk, it is high time for the government to re-evaluate, re-negotiate its flawed mechanism and get rid of its stubborn defiance and blissful complacency against COVID-19 pandemic. It needs to put its heart and soul in developing robust policy framework where the whole political leadership, state institutions and religious scholars from different schools of thought must be integrated on the same page to win the lethal war against COVID-19 pandemic. Otherwise, global scientists and medical experts already predicted that the situation will be travelled to dangerous zone where massive devastation will be inevitable.