REPORTS that dozens of healthcare workers have contracted Covid-19 as they battle the pandemic in Pakistan are alarming.

In Multan’s Nishtar Medical Hospital, as many as 27 doctors and paramedics have been confirmed as having contracted the virus. In the same hospital, one official observed that the total number of medics exposed to the coronavirus was higher, alleging that many test reports had not been made public — a claim yet to be substantiated. In Karachi, the count for healthcare staff so far diagnosed with Covid-19 is close to 40.

The Pakistan Medical Association has blamed the rise of infections within medical staff on the unavailability or poor quality of personal protective equipment.

Pakistan has already lost two doctors, young Dr Usama Riaz and the veteran Dr Abdul Qadir Soomro, to Covid-19.

That medics are being provided low-quality, ineffective masks instead of the WHO-mandated N-95 masks is an indictment of the government’s ability to tackle the crisis. PPE for medical staff is a most fundamental and crucial step in the fight against Covid-19, and one that the authorities here have been aware of for some time now.

Pakistan recorded its first case at the end of February, and prior to that, was aware for months about the rising number of coronavirus cases in the region. Despite having some time to prepare after the international community sounded the alarm, it is unfortunate that the authorities did not procure sufficient equipment or implement a strategy to protect medical workers.

There are reports that some workers are being asked to wear the less protective surgical masks even when dealing with suspected Covid-19 patients. While the government maintains that PPE is being provided to only those medical staffers dealing directly with coronavirus patients, it has failed to develop a system whereby a suspected Covid-19 patient is prevented from roaming around the hospital premises before reaching a designated coronavirus ward.

Lack of protective gear, which also includes gloves and protective suits, will inevitably result in more doctors contracting the disease — especially those dealing with patients who are asymptomatic. The chief ministers of all provinces must prioritise the safety and health of medical staff and engage with the medical community to understand where the gaps lie.

Underreporting confirmed tests and indulging in a blame game will crush the healthcare system. Medics must be protected at all costs; without them, the war against Covid-19 is but a series of one-sided, losing battles.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2020