KARACHI: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Monday warned against the possible chances of a third COVID-19 wave in the country exposing people to all the more severity lest stringent precautionary measures are not taken on urgent basis at every level.
Addressing a press conference Dr SM Qaiser Sajjad (Secretary General, PMA-Center), Dr Qazi Wasiq (Treasurer, PMA -Center), Dr Mirza Ali Azhar (President, PMA-Sindh) and Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shooro (General Secretary, PMA-Karachi) took strong exception to the rampant indifference on part of the people with regard to SOPs — social distancing, use of masks and hand washing.
They on the occasion urged both the Federal and provincial governments to come forward with foolproof legislation, with provision for fine for all those found violating standard operating procedure.
Reiterating that these are critical to avert spread of the viral disease, the doctors said authorities must ensure its implementation across the board and with absolutely no exceptions.
The PMA office bearers were also of unanimous opinion that lock down during the second phase of COVID 19 was quite late and its debilitating impact could also be well felt through steady increase in the number of new cases and growing mortality rate.
Emphasizing that prevention and precaution are key to face the challenge, the speakers said the vaccines may not reach the country till end of the next year.
It was mentioned that PMA since early this year had been regularly issuing “Health Alerts” comprising suggestions for the government as how to avert any possible epidemic and also sensitizing people about the virus and modes to contract it along with its implications and possibilities to avoid the same.
They regretted that nobody acted upon their advice causing scores of avoidable deaths including those of doctors and paramedics treating the patients.
They claimed that currently the virus has become all the more lethal and its new variety is registered to have already hit no less than 15 countries of the world.
On the occasion details of PMA s Biennial Central Council Meeting and Biennial General Assembly Meeting were also shared with the media.
