PAKISTAN has just crossed the 50,000 Covid-19 cases mark, which is most likely to swell given the prevailing indifference of our people to the standard operating procedures.

Amid such a situation, credit must be given to the doctors who have been at the forefront in the fight against this virus. On the other hand, the public response to the prime minister’s call of a choice between death from starvation or death by infection has been misinterpreted as a choice between healthcare and Eid festivities.

Our public health has always been poor because of the policies pursued by all governments that had been in power in the past. It is, therefore, time we realised the need for the poor public system in these critical times.

There is a general rhetoric that health has not been a priority of the ruling elite, but what about our people’s attitude?

This is clearly evident from the crowds we see in the markets and all public places.

Anus Khan Bhatti
Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2020