ISLAMABAD: Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said on Monday that compliance with the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) remains “very weak”, due to which pressure on hospitals is increasing.
Taking to Twitter, the minister said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) today reviewed the Covid-19 situation, hospital admissions and SOPs compliance at a meeting in Islamabad.
“SOP compliance remains very weak & pressure on hospitals is increasing. The administration has been asked to ramp up compliance enforcement to avoid a crisis like situation,” he said.
Briefing the media after the NCOC meeting, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan appealed to the people to fully comply with the SOPs to avert the spread of Covid-19.
“The burden on health care system has increased following a surge in positivity ratio especially in big cities of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir,” he pointed out.
He said the process of vaccination is underway and asked the people aged above 65 to get themselves vaccinated without any prior appointment. He asked the people above 50 years of age to get themselves registered for vaccination.
The Covid-19 vaccine registration for Pakistani above 50 years had started on March 30.
“Don’t think you don’t need to take precautions after receiving the vaccination,” he said. “Vaccines are not 100% effective.”
Pakistan launched its coronavirus vaccination drive on February 3. The country is administering the Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine Sinopharm to its workers.
The data from April 1 to April 11 shows that people have not been serious about following the SOPs, he informed. The research shows that 50 per cent of hospitals have been taking precautionary measures, while most violations have been reported in the transport sector, the SAPM added.
“We told cities to close all businesses and markets on certain days and found that they did not follow the instructions,” he said. Restaurants have opened indoor dining and less than 5 per cent of Pakistanis wear masks in public in different cities.
Dr Sultan requested the people to take the virus seriously. “The virus is spreading at alarming rates and we need to be more cautious.”
He asked the ulema to help the government and spread awareness about SOP implementation.
Separately, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services (NHS) Dr Nausheen Hamid on Monday appealed to the people to strictly follow the SOPs designed to contain the spread of the Covid-19 as the number of cases were surging in major cities and slums across the country.
Talking to a television channel, Hamid said the country is experiencing the third wave of coronavirus which she said appeared more deadly.
The pressure on the healthcare sector has increased manifold, she said.
“We are witnessing an alarming rise in the number of critical patients,” she said, adding, overall, the number of positive cases is rising. “We are also enhancing the number of oxygen beds and ventilators in hospitals.”
Hamid said keeping in view the current situation, emergency steps were being taken to provide the best medical facilities to the patients, Sehat Insaf cards will also cover the cost of coronavirus treatment.
She said the people should help control the high contagion rates being reported in major cities during the ongoing wave.
Hamid also warned that the pandemic would spread during Ramadan if the people continued to show carelessness in following the precautionary measures.
She lamented that crowds in political and public gatherings were being observed and it felt like the public has been assuming that the virus has been defeated, adding, the government was making all-out efforts to control the virus.
Replying to a query, Hamid said NCOC would hold a final meeting regarding SOPs during Ramadan, adding the guidelines would clearly mention for every mosque administration that they would be responsible for the complete implementation of the instructions and measures.
“I am sure that everybody was aware of the serious situation and no one will disobey the SOPs devised by the health experts,” she hoped.
In response to another question, Hamid said the government already announced that it would open registration for Covid-19 vaccination for the general public after Eidul Fitr as in April, the government would get more vaccine consignments.
She also urged the people to register for the coronavirus vaccination.
