ISLAMABAD: Patients visiting the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Saturday fell by around 80pc as fears of the spread of the novel coronavirus reduced mobility and forced people to stay home.

In addition, health experts have urged the government to institute a lockdown before the country reaches a point of no return.

Pims media coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that between 5,000 and 6,000 people usually visit the hospital’s main outpatient department (OPD), and it is difficult for people to find a seat while they wait for their turn.

“However, on Saturday around 1,000 patients visited the main hospital OPD. The situation at the children’s hospital and other Pims hospitals was similar because people have reduced their movement and they are not even willing to come to the hospital,” he explained.

Dr Khawaja added that a suspected Covid-19 patient was brought to Pims from a metro bus station on Saturday.

Health experts urge govt to announce lockdown before ‘country reaches point of no return’

“I have learnt that the suspect lost consciousness, because of which staff informed 1166 and the patient was brought to the hospital. The 1166 team has ensured that all the goods and areas that the patient touches will be fumigated,” he said.

He added that passengers who had been in contact with the patient panicked, but he suggested that they wash their hands and avoid gatherings.

The former head of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute, Dr Saeed Akhtar, has sent a message to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza urging him to announce a lockdown.

In a message to Dr Mirza, he said: “I know you are struggling very hard to combat the menace of coronavirus in a very primitive healthcare system. I am prompted to talk to you after I spoke to an Italian friend who begged me to talk to the government to avoid what they are going through. They are going through a living hell. My request to you is to lock down the country before it hits us so hard that we have nothing left to regret. If we haven’t learnt from the experience of China vs Italy, we haven’t learnt anything.”

“Given the socially irresponsible, casual and ill disciplined behaviour of our nation, we need to put curfew, bring army to control the crowd and put people in their houses and only open the curfew for few hours to get rations and daily supplies in a zonewise fashion, just like in a war situation. This is the biggest war we will ever fight and if we are behind the power curve, we will loose the war. The economic loss of lockdown will be much smaller than spread of the disease with our meagre resources. Since you are in the decision-making position, please assert with the prime minister before it is too late,” Dr Saeed said.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has urged people to stay at home, saying this is the only way to defeat the deadly virus.

“We ask people to stay at home, do not go out unnecessarily. Do not gather in the form of crowds. Wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Adopt all the preventive measures we have been requesting you,” PMA Secretary General Dr Qaisar Sajjad said.

The PMA has also suggested that the government form a uniform policy in consultation with stakeholders to fight the novel coronavirus.

Dr Sajjad added: “This is high time for the people to adopt hygiene principles and become more disciplined. Keep yourself, your home and your surroundings clean.”

The Awami Workers Party has also called on the government to take immediate steps to respond to the health emergency triggered by the exponential spread of Covid-19 across the country.

An official statement said: “All over the world, governments have come to the realization that the current crisis is an unprecedented challenge and demands state intervention unlike anything that has been seen in the recent history of the world. Those governments that have not realized the urgency of the situation are now facing the prospect of human catastrophe with potentially devastating effects for the very survival of organized society at large. Our neighbour Iran is the most obvious example in this regard.

“While the government must ensure that the spread of the virus is arrested by restricting everyday social interactions in any public setting – including workplaces, bazaars, institutions of religious worship and places of leisure – this must be accompanied by a massive mobilization of public resources to cushion the impact of working people’s withdrawal from everyday livelihood activities.”

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2020