Govt asked to allow vaccines proven effective in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Renowned physician surgeon Dr Shaukat Ali Bangash has urged the government to allow vaccine against COVID-19, which is tested effective in Pakistan since vaccines available in international market are not essentially useful in every part of the world as coronavirus has divergent variant in different areas and changing its shape on rapid pace.

Dr Bangash, who is Chief Executive of Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital (QIH), has maintained that administration of vaccine wouldn’t essentially provide hundred percent protection to the whole society at once but adherence to safety methods would help in protection against the virus spread in longer term. The SOPs advised by the WHO must be followed strictly and masses should become adaptable to the restrictions before the arrival of third wave of the virus in Pakistan, he reminded.

Dr Bangash and QIH are at the forefront to fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the country as they are playing a pivotal role in running anti-coronavirus campaign and taking measures to control it. Dr Shaukat Bangash said that Pakistan had been least affected from the pandemic in first two phases due to the blessing of Allah Almighty and people in hit areas followed the proper SOPs strictly.

He said that third wave has reached very close to country’s borders, while patients tested for new variants have already reached Pakistan. It would be unfair to claim that the virus would be vanished any soon. The world history recalls that the pandemics do take time

in Pakistan before elimination and it needs cohesive efforts by all communities of the world, Dr Shaukat Bangash stressed. He said that the QIH had established a 40-bed facility with a provision of ventilator with each bed. It is equipped the emergency department (as per WHO recommended protocols) to provide screening and treatment for potential COVID-19 patients. “In this time of national emergency, we are standing up with the government to fight against this pandemic. With the help of our staff and resources, we are trying to fight at both fronts – the national emergency and the patients suffering from other diseases. We have developed local strategy according to WHO protocols, which was shared with our faculty and all doctors on duty,” Dr Bangash said.

The QIH chief executive said that federal capital and adjoining areas are coming out of the clutches of the second wave and the government shouldn’t turn lethargic at the face of disease pressure. It must keep its antenna on high alert as the virus could deceive all assessments and expectations by returning at faster pace if SOPs are ignored.