‘Pakistan’s actual coronavirus stats yet to be determined’

The real statistics of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan are yet to be determined as not everyone is getting tested, says Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation Founder Dr Adeebul Hasan Rizvi.

“There’s no doubt that our health workers across the country are working very hard, but there’s lack of communication and transport,” he said in an interview which was aired on SAMAA TV’s programme Naya Din.

Mostly, people getting infected by the virus are not turning up at the hospitals themselves, Dr Rizvi said, suggesting that in such a situation it was better to treat everyone instead of identifying who has the virus and who doesn’t.

The surgeon said that God has created a system in which there’s no disease that’s incurable. “It is, therefore, the responsibility of doctors and scientists to find a cure for it.”

At SIUT, when patients come, they are first checked for fever or any other symptoms and their medical history is taken. Their health is monitored for 12 to 24 hours and then they are admitted in the hospital.

“A special ward has also been established inside the hospital for people coming from abroad,” Dr Rizvi said, adding that in case of emergency scenarios, the patient is put on a ventilator.

“We never expected that there will be this much load where even after working for 24 hours we can’t meet to everyone’s needs,” he regretted. “But we are trying our best with the support from the public and government.”

The surgeon said that in countries such as the US, people led healthy lifestyles and were fit. The water supply there is clean whereas Pakistan has a huge problem of food and water supply.

An average man depends on water and maximum of two rotis for his diet throughout the day, the surgeon said, explaining that the basic health of the public in the country was deteriorating.

“The most important way this can be prevented is through the provision of proper food and clean water,” Dr Rizvi concluded.

So far, more than 58,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported nation-wide. More than 1,200 people have lost their lives to the disease.

from Coronavirus – SAMAA https://ift.tt/3d75vHA