An additional burden has been placed on hospitals due to the sharp increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country, including Punjab where the number of coronavirus cases is way past 38,000 and is likely to cross the 40,000 mark by tomorrow (Tuesday).
But while Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid says the “situation is still not alarming” and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza says authorities have “ample resources to deal with coronavirus patients so far”, here’s what the situation in the country’s most populous province looks like:
No. of Hospitals
No. of Beds
No. of HDUs (High Dependency Units)
No. of Ventilators
249
9644
944
568
The Punjab government has allocated 249 hospitals for COVID-19 patients with 9,644 beds, of which 53 hospitals (21.2%) are private. According to data provided to The Current by Punjab Health Department, 7,346 beds are vacant so far across the province as most people are choosing to quarantine themselves at home amid reports of the dreadful conditions at government facilities.
While the availability of beds is not yet an issue, other necessities do not seem up to the mark.
As per estimated stats, almost 2,272 (7.3%) patients in the province are admitted to different hospitals. Of the total 2,272, at least 497 (21.8%) patients are in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) or HDUs, which means they are in a critical condition.
Almost 1,500 beds were allocated by the government for ICUs and HDUs, of which 473 (30%) are at private hospitals, or so the authorities claim.
When contacted by The Current, Lahore’s Shalamar Hospital, which according to official claims is supposed to be treating at least five coronavirus patients, refused to share any details pertaining to treatment or costs, saying no infected persons were being treated by the hospital. The response received from Sargodha’s Central Hospital was not that different either, even though the government claims to have mandated it to treat at least three patients.
By the time this report was filed, 21% of patients admitted to hospitals were reported to be critically ill. If a mere 5% of patients visiting hospitals need HDUs or ventilators, within the next two weeks, the healthcare system of the country’s most populous province could collapse, suggests the current number of life-saving facilities available in Punjab.
A summary forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar by Primary & Secondary Health Secretary Captain (r) Usman last month estimated that there could be 670,000 cases of the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — in Lahore alone.
The summary was forwarded to Buzdar on May 15, Geo quoted the secretary as saying, and reported that it contained results of samples collected from hotspots, residences and offices in Lahore.
As per the summary, 6 per cent of the total samples collected, tested positive for COVID-19. In some towns, the percentage of positive cases went up to 14.7 per cent. The report said that there wasn’t a single area in Lahore where the infection had not reached.
Members of the Technical Working Group — formed to ascertain the number of coronavirus affected persons in the city — have recommended imposing a complete lockdown for four weeks and quarantining persons aged above 50 years. The group has also advised the government to declare it essential for people to stay inside their homes.
Lockdown restrictions have, however, only been eased since before Eidul Fitr last month.
Amid soaring cases, the Punjab government has decided to further ease lockdown restrictions that were imposed to contain the outbreak. Buzdar last week chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Coronavirus Measures, wherein it was agreed that recommendations for the opening of the different departments and institutions, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the government, would be forwarded to the federal government.
In the meeting, Buzdar said that a request would be made to the federal government to provide 1,500 ventilators. He added the instructions of the federal government regarding opening of restaurants, cafes etc, would be followed by the provincial government.
The Cabinet Committee allowed the Punjab Public Service Commission to conduct interviews of one thousand lady doctors. It was also decided in the meeting that the Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) would be approached for permission to prepare ventilators and respirators at the local level.
It was decided the National Command and Operation Centre ( NCOC ) would take final decision to reopen the parks’ proposal, new working hours for the commercial enterprises and two-day holidays.
The secret behind the sudden drop in number of new coronavirus cases being reported in Punjab has been revealed as journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi quoted Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce, Investment and Skill Development Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal as saying that lab workers had been given Eid holidays, resulting in less testing.
Mian Aslam just said in his press conference that lab personnel had been given Eid holidays so less testing.
After easing lockdown restrictions, Punjab has generously announced six Eidul Fitr holidays from May 22 to May 27, which means the rate of increase in the number of cases in Punjab started going down Friday as lab personnel, who had been working tough shifts since the outbreak began, started getting off work and heading home to celebrate Eid with their families.
For last 3 months Punjab’s labs staff is working non-stop due to workload of #COVID19 testing. No days-off.
Punjab Health Department has decided to allow them Eid holidays, to give much needed rest to these frontline heroes.
Labs might function at lower capacity during Eid days
The number of COVID-19 infections in Punjab, which increased from 13,914 to 14,584 from May 16 to May 18 and then 16,685 on May 20, stood at 18,455 on Friday with over a thousand cases being reported every day since May 17-18.
However, the same number on Saturday stands at 18,730 with an increase of just 275 cases — unlike what trends had suggested.
“It is true that labs have started working at a lower capacity that is leading to the number of cases going unreported as of yet,” a provincial health official told The Current on the condition of anonymity. They refused to comment on the government’s decision of allowing Eid holidays to lab personnel, but said it was a much-needed relief.
“Things will get back to normal and the testing capacity will be restored after… or maybe even during Eid,” the official added.
By the time this report was filed, the total number of coronavirus infections in Pakistan stood at 52,437 with 1,101 deaths. Sindh topped the chart with 20,883 cases, followed by Punjab with 18,730 infections, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 7,391 and Balochistan with 3,198. Islamabad had reported 1,457 cases while Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Kashmir had 607 and 171 infections, respectively.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of Punjab Assembly Shaheen Raza passed away on Wednesday, two days after she tested positive for coronavirus and was shifted to an isolation ward at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.
While the cause of death earlier remained unclear as Mayo Hospital CEO Dr Asad Aslam said she was also a patient of blood pressure and diabetes, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar confirmed that his colleague had succumbed to COVID-19.
Extremely saddened to hear that we have lost Ms. Shaheena Raza to COVID-19. She was a very kind person and a true public representative. During this economic slow down, she was busy in serving those in need. Her presence will be sorely missed. May her soul rest in peace!
He separately also expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the death, and extended sympathies to the bereaved family.
On Saturday night, Raza was quarantined at a district headquarters (DHQ) hospital after symptoms of coronavirus. Her test sample was sent to a laboratory that on Sunday confirmed she had contracted the deadly virus.
On the instruction of CM Buzdar, the MPA was later shifted to Mayo Hospital and put on a ventilator.
Raza becomes the first lawmaker in Pakistan to succumb to the virus that has so far claimed at least 324,970 lives across the globe and over 900 in Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar has given his permission for coronavirus patients with mild symptoms to quarantine themselves at home rather than being admitted to a government facility.
According to a notification issued by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, the Punjab chief minister, on the directions of corona expert advisory group and technical working group, has advised for following standard operating procedures (SOPs), devised by the International Health Organisation (IHO) for home isolation.
He said that the patient would be kept in isolation under the supervision of the district health authority concerned in his or her house where all necessary facilities were available.
He said that such hotels, school buildings, mosques, hostels and community centres could also be used for isolation where all necessary facilities were provided by the government which would also take the responsibility to disinfect the buildings on a daily basis.
“However, buildings, where cooling and heating systems can cause the spread of the virus, cannot be used for isolation,” he made it clear.
Buzdar said that solid waste of patients would be disposed of according to the given guidelines.
The CM said that food would be provided to the patient in only disposable packs. He said that decision of home isolation of any patient would be made by home isolation committee, formed by the assistant commissioner of the area and assistant commissioner or his representative, DDO Health and chief officer of the area concerned would be members of the committee.
“Population Welfare, Livestock, Excise and Taxation staff would monitor and report about the isolation committee and three isolation committees would be formed in one union council in which at least one doctor would also be a member of the committee, whereas one committee would be constituted in a rural union council with one doctor in it,” the CM said.
The chief minister said that the committee would also review space for keeping patients in home isolation according to the number of family members whereas the family would be informed about the SOPs before allowing any patient home isolation.
“The patient would be bound to inform the authorities about his condition on a daily basis and testing protocol would be mandatory for the patient,” he said.
The chief minister said that the period of home isolation would be for 10 days and for removal of home isolation conditions, the patient had to show at least two negative corona tests and after the termination of home isolation, another test would be conducted after five days.
In case of non-availability of the test, the patient would have to stay in quarantine for more than two weeks.
Almost all 371 members of the Punjab Assembly are at risk of contracting the deadly coronavirus as the speaker of the provincial house and senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, continues to chair assembly sessions despite coming into contact with Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
CORONAVIRUS PATIENT:
As per the details, Mazari tested positive for the novel virus days after he returned from Dubai by a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight along with his two cousins just over a week ago. After landing at the Multan airport, they reportedly left for Lahore without being quarantined there.
“As their departure was against the official Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in wake of COVID-19 outbreak, Mazari had told a joint team of the district administration and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that they would isolate themselves,” sources told The Current, adding that the deputy speaker, however, continued with his routine in Lahore and came into contact with dozens of people, including Elahi, his son Moonis Elahi, as well as property tycoons Syed Rehan Gilani and Syed Salman Gilani.
While Mazari claims he is following all SOPs and has stayed in self-isolation since after returning from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) despite his first test coming out negative, the above picture from days leading to the deputy speaker’s second test that came out positive, as well as an album shared to his social media account on May 4, suggests otherwise.
“He interacted with several people, including his friends, colleagues and Punjab Assembly staffers, until his second test confirmed that he had contracted the virus. All those people he met must have come into contact with hundreds of others,” sources said.
Speaking to The Current, Mazari confirmed all developments while clarifying his position. “I landed in Multan where I was received by the district administration. I told them how I had to rush to Lahore for a very important official meeting and was allowed to do so.”
He said he coordinated with the officials concerned in Lahore and quarantined himself along with his cousins at a local hotel as per government SOPs. “I stayed there until I took the test that came out negative. I shared my reports with the hotel management and government officials concerned, who allowed me to leave.”
“I was congratulated by Pervaiz Elahi Sahib and others over my reports and told to resume discharging my duties… and so I did,” the deputy speaker said, confirming that he went on to attend the meetings this scribe highlighted.
When asked why did he not follow government instructions as per which any international passenger who tests negative “will be advised compulsory self-isolation to complete a 14-day period”, Mazari said he did what he was told to and wasn’t aware of “any changes to the SOPs that have now been made”.
“It wasn’t until the first week of May that I tested positive, which was seven or eight days after my return to the country. Since then, I am in complete isolation and am doing fine.”
He went on to say that he had informed the Punjab Assembly speaker of his infection and advised him to get tested. “I think Chaudhry Sahib has also taken the test. He, undoubtedly, won’t take it lightly and ensure all precautionary measures.”
Mazari also announced that once he has recovered, he will be donating blood plasma to help critical patients fight the virus. “We must take care of ourselves and others. That’s the only way to defeat coronavirus,” he said.
MPAs AT RISK:
While Moonis Elahi is now in Gujrat, his father, who also met Mazari last week, is going on to chair the sessions of the Punjab Assembly for the past four days.
When contacted, Pervaiz Elahi’s close aide, who is also a member of the speaker’s personal staff, Chaudhry Iqbal, confirmed that the speaker had not isolated himself.
To a question, he said that Elahi had come into contact with Mazari but neither had he gone into self-quarantine nor was he planning to do so. “He is chairing a 150-member session of the Punjab Assembly right now.”
It may be noted that as per the SOPs for holding assembly sessions amid the COVID-19 outbreak, only 100 out of 371 MPAs are being allowed to attend the session each day so as to ensure social distancing inside the house where, so far, at least three staffers have tested positive for the virus.
The ratio of 52 and 48 has been set which means that only 52 MPAs from the government and 48 MPAs from the opposition benches can attend the proceedings.
The entry of guests and staff of MPAs is also completely banned while only the minister concerned will answer the questions of lawmakers during the question-hour.
The assembly secretariat has also installed a disinfection tunnel at the entry gate while lawmakers will use masks and gloves to protect themselves from the virus. Only those MPAs will be asked to attend the proceeding who have their questions on the agenda item.
As Punjab retains its position as the worst-hit province with over 6,800 coronavirus infections, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar-led administration faces another challenge as patients at the Expo Field Hospital in Lahore come out in protest, complaining against the hospital’s inefficient management and testing.
A video available with The Current showed the patients bashing the government as they claimed that the services being provided at the hospital were inadequate and not up to basic health standards. They also claimed that due to the incompetence of the government officials, it could not be determined if many people at the centre even had coronavirus.
“Sometimes we test positive, sometimes negative… it is going on for over 20 days. The only people who have been allowed to leave this jail are the ones who have paid Rs8,000 to a private lab for testing.”
They appealed to the government to take action against the staff that had made the facility a living hell for them.
Washrooms at the hospital are extremely dirty and don’t even have soap let alone sanitiser, Samaa quoted a patient as saying.
Another complained that the food provided to patients was either stale or bad. “We have complained to the government multiple times but they haven’t even acknowledged our concerns,” he added.
The patients have demanded that the government let them go home if they can’t be taken care of. Quarantining at home is better than staying here, they said, adding that living in these conditions will never pull them out of the disease.
Previously, due to similar complaints, CM Buzdar had taken notice of the hospital, however, no changes seem to have been made yet.
The provincial government had in April has set up a 1,000-bed field hospital in Expo Centre Lahore due to rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
صرف 9 دن میں ایکسپو سنٹر لاہور میں 1000 بیڈز پر مشتمل فیلڈ ہسپتال قائم
یہ ہسپتال بطور triage بھی استعمال ہو گا تاکہ کورونا وائرس کی علامات والے مریضوں کو عام ہسپتالوں میں نہ جانا پڑے
— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) April 1, 2020
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid had directed setting up Triage Centre at the Expo Center Field Hospital.
Triage Centre serves as the point where patients are prioritised for different sections based on the severity of symptoms and their condition in emergencies. The government has set up a field hospital at the Expo Center where emergency arrangements have been made for COVID-19 patients.
The Punjab government is trying to trace 1,012 suspected carriers of the deadly COVID-19 in various areas of the province, a private media outlet has reported.
Quoting officials, the report said these suspected carriers, who are scattered mainly in Lahore, Sialkot and Multan, have been included in the final tally of the confirmed cases until they test negative for the virus. Of these 1,012 suspected carriers, 691 are in Lahore, 87 in Sialkot and 72 in Multan.
The report also quoted Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Deputy Secretary Mudasir Ahmed as saying that the suspected patients are contacts of confirmed coronavirus patients. The official said that they are gathering their phone numbers and addresses of these suspected patients and there is a “big and successful mechanism” in place for contract-tracing in the province.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director Operations Nisar Ahmed told the news outlet that they already know where all the positive cases are, so the people they came into contact with must also be carriers of the virus. He added that they were currently trying to trace these suspected carriers.
Punjab has over 6,200 confirmed cases of the deadly virus, the highest in the country.
After a break lasting over a year, senior member of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Punjab minister Aleem Khan, who according to reports was “disgruntled” ever since a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation was launched into his assets, is making his way back to the provincial cabinet, coincidentally days after he contacted the rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
As per the details, the development comes after a meeting between Aleem and Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar on the behest of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which had followed a telephonic conversation between the “disgruntled” PTI leader and PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah to discuss the fast-changing political scenario, especially in Punjab.
Sanaullah had immediately brought the conversation to the attention of party chief Shehbaz Sharif, who had reportedly told him to wait for orders regarding befriending Aleem for any changes in the provincial house where the PTI sits on the treasury benches following a neck-and-neck with the PML-N and owing to the support of Chaudhrys of Gujrat’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) as well as independent lawmakers.
Sources had last week informed The Current that the PML-N leadership would assess all political options but was likely to keep a safe distance from “segments of PTI allegedly involved in the wheat or sugar crises” and who had allegedly made billions through government subsidies and subsequent price hike.
When contacted, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah had confirmed having a detailed telephonic conversation with Aleem and that the two discussed the current political situation in the country. To a question, he had said it was too early to say if the PML-N and the disgruntled PTI group led by Aleem would put in any efforts to bring in-house changes in Punjab because his party had a principled stance in that respect.
“First we want electoral reforms and then we seek fresh general elections but there can be an interim arrangement till the completion of these goals,” Sanaullah had said, adding that if someone said that Aleem had the support of only 20 to 25 PTI lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly, they would be underestimating him.
“I personally know his real strength among the ranks of the PTI.”
The little telephonic conversation between the PML-N and disgruntled PTI leader had followed a meeting between PML-N’s Khawaja brothers and Punjab Assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi — an important ally of the PTI government in Punjab.
With reports claiming that the fate of PTI’s Buzdar administration in Punjab was hanging in balance, it has been learnt that Aleem would soon be re-inducted to the provincial cabinet.
“It was quite obviously an attempt to keep Aleem and friends from joining hands with the PML-N for any changes in the Punjab Assembly,” sources said and added the PML-N, however, seemed confident about the bond it was forging with the PML to turn tables on the ruling party.
While Aleem has neither confirmed nor denied claims regarding his re-induction to the cabinet, The Current has learnt that he will be handed back his previous position of senior minister or “de facto provincial chief executive” along with the reins of the Local Government Department.
He is also likely to be given the control of the Punjab Food Department and an additional charge of the Planning and Development (P&D) Department, sources said and added that Aleem will be administered oath within a day or two.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar has announced his administration’s decision to slash school fees across the province by 20% during the ongoing holidays to safeguard the masses from the global coronavirus pandemic that also continues to take a toll on Pakistan, especially Punjab.
“All schools have also been instructed to collect fees on a monthly basis,” he tweeted adding that the schools had also been directed to pay the salary of all its staff and teachers on time, and barred from firing anyone.
ہم نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ چھٹیوں کے دوران پنجاب کے تمام سکولوں کی فیس 20 فیصد کم اور صرف ماہانہ بنیاد پر وصول کی جائے
اس دوران سکولوں کو تمام اساتذہ اور سٹاف کی تنخواہوں کی مکمل اور بروقت ادائیگی کا پابند بنایا جائے گا اور کسی سکول کو ٹیچرز یا سٹاف کو نکالنے کی اجازت نہیں دی جائےگی
The provincial chief executive has reportedly made the announcement as part of government measures to shield the public from the economic impact of the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Punjab government was extending the existing restrictions in the province till April 14.
“Public is requested to follow the guidelines issued by the government and ensure that they don’t leave home unless necessary,” a government spokesperson said.
According to a notification, the lockdown is being extended due to a rise in the number of cases in the province, which is alarming and highly dangerous for the health of the people.
“It is mandatory to take all pragmatic and possible measures to contain and counter the further spread of coronavirus on war footings,” the notification said.
It further said that there were sufficient grounds to proceed under section 144 of “The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898”, as an immediate preventive and speedy remedy to ensure public safety, conserve lives and maintain peace and tranquillity in the province.
Punjab has reported the highest number of confirmed cases in the country, 1,493 and 15 deaths.
On March 23, CM Buzdar had announced a 14-day partial lockdown in the province to curb the spread of the virus.
Following the announcement, parks and public places were ordered to remain close and pillion riding in the province was banned.
