Shortage of masks hinders coronavirus operations in country

PESHAWAR: The lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks has hindered the government’s attempt to protect its healthcare staff and to avoid deadly coronavirus which emerged from bordering China.

A health expert based in Islamabad said, “PPEs are most important in order to deter human-to-human transmission and to shield healthcare workers from disease. The government banned the export of PPEs two weeks ago in order to deal with its scarcity.”

READ MORE: 10 Reasons Why Drinking Soda Is Bad For Your Health

He said the country needed 110,000 surgical masks but only 1,200 were accessible at the Islamabad National Institute of Health, indicating a shortage of more than 100,000 surgical masks.

He said there were only 100,000 gloves accessible, with a shortage of 200,000, against the need for 300,000. Gloves are the most significant of the PPEs that health care workers often wear, including masks.