Coronavirus and preparations

The recent outbreak of the deadly coronavirus has affected economies around the world severely. The virus has claimed more than 4,000 precious lives globally which sounds devastating. Cases have now been reported in almost 100 countries with more than 118,000 people being affected.

Global markets have slumped as worries over the coronavirus have aggravated, while Saudi Arabia and Russia are engaged in an all-out war on oil prices. Stock markets in Europe and US plunged to the lowest level since 2008 financial crisis. About $9 trillion has been wiped off global stocks in the past nine days. Trade routes have been disrupted and the global economy could lead to a recession over the outbreak. In this regard, emerging markets of the world would bear more brunt of the economic crunch if the outbreak of the deadly virus continues at such pace.

Pakistan with its crippled and undermined economy and GDP forecast of 1.9 percent will start bleeding. People living below the poverty line, who make up 31.3 percent according to 2018 statistics, could find it unsustainable leaving them with no choice but to agitate against the government. This would become a flashpoint for mass mobilization of economically-marginalized population resulting in an uncontrollable security situation.

Researchers have started suggesting that if the novel coronavirus continues with its present trajectory, it could conventionally transform our national issues, which countries like Pakistan can ill-afford. The cases have been accelerating around the world and with no cure or vaccine in sight, it could a long time before we reach a solution.

A crisp survey of Sindh has claimed that hospitals are not equipped and properly prepared; no SOPs are enforced in hospitals except Jinnah and Civil hospitals of Karachi and perhaps in no other hospital across Sindh. It is shocking that doctors in OPDs have no written instructions from health department to deal with suspected coronavirus cases. It has been observed that doctors, in order to avoid the hustle of reporting system of intimating focal points of health department, prefer to verbally instruct suspected patients to report to two main hospitals of Karachi – Jinnah and Civil – not realizing that suspected patients of coronavirus may melt away in society infecting thousands of peoples.

In developing countries like Pakistan, the outbreak of coronavirus could be the biggest disaster. One cannot rely on invalidated and unverified research that the deadly virus cannot survive in a temperature above 26 degrees centigrade. Due to the spoiled system of statistics, it is difficult to predict disasters like coronavirus. A similar situation is underway in the country where no proper precautions, information nor administrative status has been provided and received by the masses. The people should wake up before the lava falls out. 

It’s high time that instead of heading into a dead end, we should involve all stakeholders and health experts to conduct drills and thoroughly practice it for the evolution and isolation of suspected COVID-19 patients, which does not involve extra budget of the federal government.

Concurrently, the government should involve donor countries especially China for acquiring maximum coronavirus kits and equipment to identify the large cluster of people which likely to be affected. I would not hesitate to say that in such a situation, we must establish a robust mechanism to deal with COVID-19 cases leading to mass casualties.