KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association at a meeting held on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the Supreme Court’s decision in which it ordered the provincial governments to reopen all shopping malls without any hindrance and ensure strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“The PMA always respects the verdicts of our courts. But, as far as the coronavirus situation is concerned, the Supreme Court should have considered the opinion of the country’s doctors,” said a press release issued by the association on Tuesday.

It warned that ending the lockdown would have horrifying consequences as it would lead to a significant increase in the burden of Covid-19 disease in the county.

It highlighted efforts of healthcare providers and said doctors, nurses and paramedics were fighting the coronavirus at the risk of their own lives and were very much distressed with the coronavirus situation.

“More than 1,100 healthcare workers have been infected with the coronavirus while 12 doctors have died of the disease. Of them, two doctors had treated coronavirus positive patients while the rest died after treating patients who reported with other ailments at healthcare facilities and hadn’t been tested for Covid-19.”

It called upon the government to control the coronavirus outbreak and also manage economic outfall of the situation. It urged the public to take coronavirus outbreak seriously and ensure utmost care. “We humbly request the general public to take care of themselves. Coronavirus is a reality, take it seriously. It is a fatal disease which has killed 320,448 people and has affected 4,910,481 people till to date across the world.

“The WHO director general in March declared Covid-19 as pandemic, which has now reached 213 countries. We once again request you to adopt preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and hand sanitising, wearing mask and maintaining social distance. Do not hug or shake hands, particularly on Eid.”

The meeting was attended by PMA office-bearers across the country through video link, including Dr Ikram Ahmed Tunio in Larkana, president of the PMA-centre who chaired the meeting, Dr Ashraf Nizami in Lahore, Dr Sahibzada Syed Masoodus Syed in Sialkot, Dr Amir Saleem in Kasur, Dr Fareed Sumalani in Quetta and Dr Mushtaq in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2020