Pakistan reaches crucial point of pandemic control

BEIJING: The rapid spread of COVID-19 did not have much impact on South Asia about 10 weeks ago, but the situation is worse off these days.

This was stated by the Chinese Scholar Prof Cheng Xizhong in his report published by China Economic Net on Friday. The report says, South Asia, adjacent to China, hosts three of the world's ten top populous countries. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh together have a population of more than 1.7 billion.

Many projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are under construction, so China pays special attention to the pandemic in Pakistan, a friendly neighbor of China. How to properly deal with the increasingly serious pandemic and how to save the lives of patients have become the most urgent task for Pakistan.

It was noted that with the increasing spread of the pandemic, the Pakistani government has taken a series of measures. Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his conviction that the country would finally defeat the novel coronavirus.

China and Pakistan have a tradition of helping each other in times of crisis. Accordingly, an anti-pandemic medical expert group dispatched by the Chinese government to Pakistan, providing consultation for Pakistan's pandemic prevention and control, patient treatment and laboratory work, as well as training and guidance for Pakistani medical staff and community prevention and control personnel.

At present, Pakistan is the country receiving the most assistance from China. China has provided four batches of medical aid to Pakistan, including 2 million sets of PPE and 200 ventilators, and is also helping Pakistan build a temporary isolation hospital.

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China has provided special medical assistance to northern part of Pakistan. On April 2, a special plane of Pakistan International Airlines brought back 52 tons of pandemic prevention and relief materials, including masks, protective clothing and test kits, from Beijing.

In addition, a Chinese enterprise plans to donate 20 isolation houses to Pakistan. China's war against the pandemic has promoted the rapid development of advanced technology in relevant fields. For example, Chinese construction companies adopt cutting-edge technology 3D printing to quickly print isolated houses, catering the urgent needs for doctors and patients.

3D printing construction technology is known for its time-saving characteristic. A 3D printing machine can print a 10-square-meter isolation house within two hours. With installation of electrical equipment, plumbing equipment and other facilities, an isolation house can be put into use within 2-3 days.

Prof Cheng in his report finally suggested that the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to seal the cities and everyone stays at home willingly. Whole country of Pakistan needed to work together, take the most resolute actions to prevent the further spread of the pandemic, and finally defeat this once-in-a-century catastrophe, he added.