• 5,050 more people contract virus
• PMA seeks walk-in vaccination facility, special service for bedridden, handicapped

ISLAMABAD: While the country reported the highest number of single-day deaths since June last year, 5,050 more people contracted Covid-19 on Sunday.

The number of critical patients reached all-time high of 4,920 and that of active cases crossed 70,000 mark.

According to data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 114 deaths were reported in a single day, of which 43 persons died on ventilators. Pakistan recorded 153 deaths on June 20 last year. However, since June 25 — when 148 deaths were reported — the number of deaths per day remained less than 114.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), a representative body of health professionals, has suggested walk-in vaccination facility for all and demanded that the government introduce a special vaccination service for those who are bedridden and handicapped.

PMA secretary general Dr Qaisar Sajjad, while talking to Dawn, said that a number of people, especially healthcare workers, could not be vaccinated despite registering them at helpline 1166.

“I suggest that availability of Computerised National Identity Card should be made mandatory and people be vaccinated under a walk-in facility. Currently, a number of people have registered themselves at helpline 1166, but they are not getting registration numbers/codes. Some people came to us with a request to get them vaccinated. After finding no headway, they go for private vaccination,” he said.

Dr Sajjad suggested that the government, if was not interested in promoting private vaccination, should allow walk-in vaccination and register people at the vaccination centres.

“Moreover, a number of people are handicapped or bedridden so the PMA suggests that in every district a service should be introduced to vaccinate them at homes. There would be just a few hundred bedridden people in every district but they are also citizens of Pakistan and they deserve special care,” he said.

The NCOC data showed that 518 ventilators were occupied across the country on Sunday — 88 per cent of vents in Gujranwala, 81pc in Multan, 79pc in Lahore and 57pc in Islamabad. Moreover, 85pc oxygenated beds were in use in Gujranwala, 72pc Peshawar, 71pc in Gujrat and 63pc in Swat. The number of active cases was 73,875 as of 11th April.

While 721,018 cases of coronavirus have so far been detected across the country, 631,700 people have recovered, making it a significant count. The virus has so far claimed the lives of 15,443 people.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2021