The National Command and Operations Centre, which for two years spearheaded the nation’s fight against the covid-19 pandemic, has closed its doors after all the pandemic indicators, touched an all-time low in the country. The daily single-day tally of fresh cases, the national positivity ratio, the daily death toll and the hospitalization of critical cases, all have come down. The best thing is that these are not one-off dips, but represent part of a declining trend, which means that the epidemic has probably been tamed enough to prevent fears of widespread infection, and the sort of death and devastation that the country had experience, and which led to the setting up of the NCOC in the first place.
Initially, when the epidemic began, the first response was made by the National Disaster Management Authority. To say the least, it was not up to the job. In fact, there are still unanswered questions about the funds it was allocated initially. The NCOC was set up to coordinate all efforts, national or provincial, civilian or military, to collate and reconcile the data, and take decisions about which areas needed being placed under lockdown. Perhaps the most important thing the NCOC did was ensure that decisions were based on science, not political expediency. That was because the person, in-charge Planning Minister Asad Umar, not just kept under control any desire to make political capital out of the situation, but allowed Health Services SAPM Dr Faisal Sultan, an expert on infectious diseases, his head.
One of the main things done by Dr Sultan and the NCOC was a vigorous vaccination
campaign, which has seen Pakistan achieve 70 percent coverage, making it one of those few countries which have achieved herd immunity. However, before there is too much euphoria, it should not be forgotten that indicators, like the disease itself, are down, but not out. The disease is still with us. People are still dying of it. Apart from the vigorous vaccination programme continuing, people should maintain social distancing and safe hygiene practices. The nation will undergo its first test during the coming Ramazan, with its taravih congregations, Eid shopping and succeeding Eid celebrations. It is to be hoped that it will pass. That will be the best tribute the NCOC can get.
