ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa, senior judge of the Supreme Court, has stressed that all public sector hospitals, including combined military hospitals and other armed forces hospitals, should be opened immediately to serve the people in the pandemic.
In a letter written from the Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital, Islamabad, where he is being treated for COVID-19, Justice Isa said that this is a public interest matter affecting everyone and since we are in a situation no less grave than a war, all public sector hospitals, including combined military hospitals and other armed forces hospitals, should be opened immediately to serve the people.
“Otherwise, class and social divides will further be exacerbated and people continue to suffer and die because of an unequal system”, Justice Qazi Faez Isa said, adding that Almighty Allah has showered His Grace and Mercy on us and it is now our duty to come together as a nation to collectively fight this epidemic. Justice Isa said that first and foremost it cannot be stressed enough that 'prevention is the best medicine'. Internationally recognised and WHO mandated preventive social distancing measures are not being followed.
“The nation's health needs to be relegated to expert pulmonologists and other COVID-19 experts who should be brought on TV and radio to explain, warn and educate the nation”, Justice Isa maintained. He said that Urdu as well as all other spoken languages and dialects should be used to communicate. “Even the equivalent for the acronym 'SOP' has proved elusive. Could 'Hidayet' or 'Tibbi Hidayet' not be a start?”
Justice Qazi Faez Isa said that Article 9 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantees the right to life as a Fundamental Right, of which health is an integral part. “My wife and I were one of the initial lucky few (less than 2%) in the country who were fully vaccinated as both of us were above 60; courtesy of the Chinese government”, Justice Isa said, adding that they took every precaution, including always wearing masks in public places, yet contracted the highly infectious delta variant of the disease.
“Even with the vaccination, I still had to be hospitalized”, Justice Isa added. The judge said that he is receiving excellent treatment from very competent doctors and attendants at the Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital all of whom have been integral to the treatment. “We are extremely grateful to all of them and such treatment is not within reach of most”, the judge said that his wife and he are truly blessed for the prayers and support they we have received, and bow in abject supplication to Almighty Allah.
The Judge said that flouting of SOPs is not permissible. Yet it is done by those who should be leading by example, the highest, saying Eidul Azha prayers in the Faisal Mosque Islamabad by standing shoulder to shoulder, which sent out the wrong message that the government's own SOPs are not important. Islamic teachings lay down clear preventive measures during epidemics which have also been completely discarded. “Once again, we are truly humbled by everyone's prayers and love”, Justice Isa concluded.