KARACHI: Doctors representing the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) have demanded that the government immediately provide all healthcare workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) as “their life and life of their families are in danger”.

They also underscored that the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) could play a key role in this critical period by establishing direct contacts with hospitals both in the private and public sectors, addressing gaps in the healthcare system vis-à-vis coronavirus outbreak and taking up doctors’ concerns on this crisis with the government officials.

“We are getting calls from doctors across Sindh, fearing for their safety and their families, asking us to take up their concerns with the government.

“All healthcare workers need PPE as we know that coronavirus can be transmitted from an asymptomatic patient,” Dr Qaiser Sajjad representing the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said, adding that though outpatient departments and consultation clinics were closed across the province, medical staff was very much on duty in wards and in the emergency sections.

“Ideally,” he said, “gloves used in examining a patient shouldn’t be used for another patient, but, since we are under-resourced, we advised doctors to wash their hands after examining a patient.”

People urged not to go to hospitals for any illness that can be managed at home

Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, also representing PMA, said while there was a shortage of PPE everywhere, the lockdown made the situation more critical.

“We tried to get it from a supplier but he refused delivery in the ongoing lockdown situation. Having said that, we all know our colleagues on duty at hospitals desperately need it so they could perform their duties fearlessly, without putting their lives at risk,” he said, sharing concern over reports that doctors treating Covid-19 patients at some places, including Sukkur and Larkana, had contracted the infection.

“We must remember that we have a limited number of qualified medical staff and if they started missing their duties for any reason or we lose them, it would have a devastating effect on public health,” he said.

On the role of the SHCC, the doctors said unfortunately it’s not playing an active role required in this public health crisis. “I have been informed by people in Keamari and Korangi that quacks are very much active these days as OPDs and clinics are closed. We fear that the situation can get worse if the SHCC doesn’t play its role,” Dr Shoro said.

The PMA doctors said the association as a representative body of doctors with more than 110,000 registered members across the county could help the government overcome this challenge.

“Though we are not part of the consultation process either at the federal or provincial levels, we can very much support the government if decisions are communicated to us,” said Dr Sajjad.

The doctors also suggested that the government should run awareness campaign, urging the people not to go to hospitals for any illness that could be managed at home.

“Right now, visiting a hospital carries major risk so it’s better that a patient should call up a doctor and take advice,” Dr Shoro said, adding that several doctors had switched to telemedicine for patient management.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2020