Doctors ask PM to ensure complete lockdown in Ramazan

PESHAWAR: Senior doctors have requested the prime minister to declare complete lockdown for one month in Ramazan to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“It is an ideal time to go for a complete shutdown as the normal activities are less due to Ramazan as the people are fasting,” Dr Umar Ayub Khan, President/Director of the Commonwealth Medical Trust Pakistan, told a press conference here Friday.

Dr Haroon, President Pakistan Medical Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Mahnaz Raees, gynaecologist who is Secretary of Commonwealth Medical Trust, Dr Mubashir, a senior medical officer and others were present on the occasion. Dr Umar Ayub said that unessential services should be closed and those violating the lockdown should be taken to task. He added that social distancing must be ensured. He said that those hoarding hand sanitizers, face masks, medicines and other necessary items should be put behind bars.

“We have been coming up with theories that BCG and being in malaria belt and hot weather will save us from deadly effects of the coronavirus due to herd immunity, but these are all unproven theories. Our testing capacity is very limited and there is no way we can test 220 million people so the number of our cases are deceptive,” he explained. “Please! wake up, we can’t fight this virus with atomic arsenal but lockdown and social distancing are the answer,” Omar Ayub maintained. “The situation will become clearer in one month but till then let’s practice social distancing and stay at home under the lockdown. The personal protection equipment should be provided to health professionals so that they can serve you better,” he argued.

Dr Omar Ayub observed that there was an alarming increase in the number of Covid-19 patients, saying that a lot of frontline health professionals had got infected all over the country. “The decision of the Ulema to hold congregational prayers is not only alarming, but can cause major spread of the disease,” he said, adding, that the condition that only young and healthy will attend congregations in mosques was not enough. “We have a joint family system and these young and healthy will go back to their respective homes and meet their elders and if they contracted the virus it will spread to the entire family,” he pointed out. “God forbid if the disease spreads, we will be in deep trouble as our health system will collapse,” he warned.