PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday ordered closure of all religious seminaries throughout the province till further order as coronavirus claimed 10 more lives.

A notification in this regard was issued by home secretary under KP Epidemic Control and Emergency Relief Act wherein it was stated that the violator of the restriction would be penalised under the law.

According to a survey, the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have more accessibility to treatment for non-coronavirus illnesses during the pandemic as compared to the people of other provinces.

The survey conducted by National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in collaboration with International Rescue Committee show that Covid-19 has reshaped education, businesses and health system across the country.

Survey shows KP people have more access to treatment than others during pandemic

It says that during the lockdown, 18 per cent people got services in government hospitals, 37.60 per cent in private clinics, 24.20 per cent resorted to self-medication, 20.20 per cent turned to homeopaths and 15.60 per cent consulted the general medical practitioners.

The report said that 20 per cent of the affected people contracted the virus from family members. At national level, 51 per cent of the Covid-19 affected families faced stigma, it added.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded a total of 1,546 deaths and 55,183cases of coronavirus including new 347 ones. Three persons passed away each in Peshawar and Abbottabad, two in Kohat and one each in Bannu and Mardan due to the virus.

The pandemic has bought about worldwide change in all respects but underprivileged people are at the receiving end in terms of their declining earnings owing to lockdowns.

In KP, 95.60 patients, who needed regular services, succeeded to get the same and 92.70 per cent struggled to receive routine treatment at national level.

The survey titled “Coordinated Gap Analysis: Key Findings Report Covid-19”, covering 16,400 households, has shown gaps in population of 41 districts in rural and urban areas. It said that during the lockdown period 18.90 per cent people received health services from government hospitals, 37.60 per cent from private clinics, 24.20 per cent resorted to self medication, 2.20 per went to homeopathic clinics and 15.60 per cent consulted general medical practitioners.

It said that 20 per cent of the affected people contracted the virus from same household. According to it, 51 per cent encountered stigma and 12.04 per cent received routine immunisation. Aggressive behaviour was recorded among 36.40 per cent patients. Only three per cent patients passed away and 93 per cent survived the virus, it added.

The survey conducted during September and October said that 68.4 per cent health facilities in the country remained closed. It covered 25.40 per cent urban areas and 74.60 per cent rural areas. It included Peshawar, Swat, Lower Dir, Abbottabad, Mardan, Khyber, Kohat, Bajaur, Mansehra and Dera Ismail Khan in KP.

The surveyors visited 4,000 households in each of the four provinces and 400 in Islamabad.

The villages were selected randomly and interviews were conducted with five men and 15 men to know how the people were coping with challenges posed by the Covid-19.

The survey also covered students and said that they adopted different modes of learning during the crisis. Of them, 6.2 per cent utilised government tele-school sessions, 8.40 per cent benefitted from online school arrangements and 7.40 per cent used assignment-based tasks while 69.2 per cent continued their studies with the help of parents in their homes.

According to it, the teams interviewed officials of health, education, UN agencies, provincial disaster management authorities and other departments and came up with the reports that closure of schools interrupted learning of 57.50 per cent students and resulted in dropout increase to 13.40 per cent.

Covid-19 has badly affected economic condition of people.

About 89.90 per cent people have been negatively affected by the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2020