LAYYAH: The health department and the district administration organised a ceremony to acknowledge the services of the workers who worked hard during the crisis situation in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak by giving them commendation certificates; however, they ignored the surveillance teams that worked round the clock to trace and track the Covid patients in the area.

In a ceremony held on Sunday, the health department, Deputy Commissioner Azfar Zia and Special Assistant to CM Rafaqat Gilani awarded the certificates to the doctors and paramedics staff of the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital.

During the Covid-19 emergency, the health department had formed trace and track team and the disease surveillance and response teams to locate, identify and track the virus patients.

The coronavirus trace and track team consisted of Muhammad Hashim, Muneer Hussain, Muhammad Imran, Amir Shehzad, Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Naseem and Muhammad Sharif (driver) while the district disease surveillance and response team had Rizwanullah, Israr Hussain, Muhammad Suleiman and Muhammad Anees in it. Both teams worked 24/7 for weeks.

The trace and track team collected over 3,000 blood samples without availing any leave during the course of four months.

In case of any positive results of tests, the teams would isolate the patients from their families, trace and track the movements of the patients and carry out test of the persons who interacted with these patients.

Of all these 3,000 blood samples collected by the teams, 350 were found to be infected by the virus.

However, all the hard work of these surveillance teams was ignore by the hospital as well as district administration which acknowledged the services of only the doctors and the paramedics.

The lab staff, which included Muhammad Amir and Muhammad Naseem, was also awarded the certificates.

However, the certificates from them were taken back by the hospital.

“The certificates awarded were taken back by the hospital administration on a promise that the certificates will be awarded in a big ceremony which is going to be arranged in the near future,” said Muhammad Amir, the lab assistant, while talking to Dawn.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2020