Face-masks, training demanded for security men, hospital staff

Islamabad: The Pakistan Young Pharmacist Association (PYPA) has demanded face-masks, protection and training for security personnel, hospital staff members and teachers to protect them from the deadly coronavirus.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Imran Khan, PYPA General Secretary Dr Furqan Ibrahim said coronavirus had entered Pakistan but police, FIA, IB, ASF and ANF personnel, hospitals staff members including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics, and school, college and university teachers didn't have face masks and protections against corona virus nor were they given any training increasing their vulnerability to the deadly virus and patients.

"The Ministry of National Health Services has made a helpline, 1166, which is useless and is meant to deceive the prime minister and nation at large," he said.

Dr Furqan said there was an acute shortage of face-masks and protections in Pakistan, whereby all face masks and protections were re-exported to China at exorbitant prices with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) officials being involved in it.

"It is humbly prayed that the government immediately provide face masks, protections and training to all cops (Police, FIA, IS, ASF, ANF etc), hospital staff (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, para medical staff etc) and teachers (school teachers, college professors, university professors, etc) to save themselves from coronavirus and help others," he said.

Meanwhile, the association has written a letter to the Supreme Court to take a suo motu notice of the DRAP's 'unjustified' decision to allow the export of respiratory masks.

On Jan 30, the DRAP had imposed a ban on export of masks and other equipment, but on Feb 8 five companies were allowed to export.