The Private Hospitals and Clinics Association urged the federal government to create a centrally controlled model of COVID-19 treatment protocols to end the confusion around treatment approaches in Pakistan. It also suggested options to end the epidemic by September.
The PHCA demanded the government relax some measures for older working employees to prevent deaths from the virus among the vulnerable age group. The statement came after an employee at the Karachi airport tested positive for COVID-19.
“We demand urgently for there to be a relaxation of all government staff above 50 years or with comorbids, working at public areas to be allowed not to attend offices,” said Dr Junaid Shah, president of the Private Hospitals and Clinics Association. “This is keeping in mind poor outcomes in this age group.”
The employee, an airport manager at the Jinnah International Airport, is in a “poor condition”, the association said Tuesday. He had also transmitted the virus to his wife and son at home.
Dr Shah has asked epidemiologists to start working on projections of the COVID-19 disease model “to decide between lockdown and shutdown.”
He has demanded an end to random distribution of rations which causes gathering of people at one spot. The association wants the government to supply rations on people’s doorsteps.
Citing a recent publication on measures to combat COVID-19 by Bristol University Professor of Risk Management Philip Thomas, Dr Shah suggested four different lockdown strategies for the country:
Business as usual approach: The epidemic will be over by September with very high mortality
Four month shutdown: An optimally timed shutdown of four months before the peak of infections which could reduce deaths by a third and end the epidemic by September
12 month lockdown: Hospitals can prepare and expand their capacities and isolation centres during this time, followed by a four-month shutdown to reduce deaths by two-thirds
12 month lockdown with vaccine: If a vaccine is developed and a large scale immunisation programme carried out during the lockdown, it could result in fewer deaths overall than seasonal influenza.
Dr Shah warned against “opportunists” and medical “hacks” jeopardising COVID-19 treatment and testing.
“We demand strict notice on announcing random treatments before trials without clinical based evidence,” he said. “This is only leading to people taking dangerous drugs prophylactically at home such as the careless use of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.”
