OPDs suspended in Karachi’s Malir district

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The district administration of Karachi Malir on April 14 ordered immediate closure of outpatient departments in all the public and private hospitals and clinics within the district in the wake of increasing number of COVID-19 cases at UC 1 to 5 of Landhi till further order. 

Meanwhile the provincial health department data, released on April 14, revealed that there were 1,056 cases of coronavirus undergoing treatment in Sindh with the break-up being Karachi (819), Hyderabad (169), Larkana (16). Khairpur (14) and Tando Mohammad Khan (12) while there were 26 cases in other 10 districts. 

Until April 14, as many as 14,503 people were tested in Sindh, out of which 1,518 tested positive for the virus, out of which 35 lost their lives. A Sindh health department summary of cases said that in all 66 new cases were confirmed, all at Karachi. 

The authorities also confirmed four coronavirus related deaths in Karachi on April 14, two males aged 40 and 62 years, respectively, and two females aged 64 and 53, respectively, taking the provincial tally of corona deaths to 35.

Coronavirus Update: Lahore, Karachi on top

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Karachi, with 1,003 confirmed cases, was the second city, after Lahore, in the context of coronavirus in the country having reported a total 5,837 cases so far, with 96 deaths. 

According to the federal government’s COVID-19 dashboard, updated at 5 pm on April 14, Lahore reported 20.35% cases of the country’s total, followed by Karachi (17.68%), Hyderabad (4.39%), D G Khan (4.37%), Gujrat (3.71%), Multan (3.42%), Rawalpindi (2.71%), Gujranwala (2.57%), Quetta (2.26%), Mardan (2.07%) and other cities including Sukkur of Sindh, with 275 cases (37.50%). 

Some observers have assessed that Karachi may see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases again, as the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his morning video message on April 14, revealed that results of another about 1,700 samples, collected through mobile testing units, will be known by April 15. 

He shared that overall 427 people have recovered from the virus, while 671 were in the isolation at their homes, 58 at quarantine centres and 327 are being treated in different hospitals across the province.

Joint meeting review COVID-19 situation

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

The representatives of medical and law practitioners in Karachi on April 14 urged the government to expand corona screening and testing facilities to district level at the earliest.

They were jointly giving a press briefing about the existing conditions of healthcare workers in the context of coronavirus infection. 

They appeared highly concerned over the working conditions of doctors and their associates at hospitals and called upon the health authorities to ensure immediate provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for the doctors nurses, paramedics and sanitary workers engaged in providing assistance to COVID-19 affected people at various public and private sectors’ health facilities. 

The speakers represented the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, the Young Doctors’ Association (Sindh), the Young Nurses Association (Sindh), the Sindh Midwifery Association, the College of Family Medicine, the Sindh High Court Association and the Karachi Bar Association. 

Presenting a set of recommendations for the government, the leaders said that a mandatory and regular screening of healthcare providers handling the coronavirus confirmed patients should be done on a regular basis. 

They noted that ventilators should not be in the priority purchase list of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) rather resources should be used for expanding testing capacity and effective PPEs for healthcare workers. 

They recommended development of strict corona screening facilities at port of entry, quarantine centres and isolation centres, activation of network of community clinics, family physicians and registered general practitioners with proper PPEs and standing operating procedures. 

They suggested that the home isolation system should be promoted, with monitoring and reporting of data by registered general practitioners and community clinics. 

According to the doctors, specialty clinics and hospital outdoor patient departments (OPDs) should continue with emergency services only. 

Taking up the issue of lockdown, the speakers advised that only targeted and area specific lockdown, based on corona test results, should be done. 

The PMA Karachi President, Dr Sharif Hashmani, also made a presentation on usages of PPEs and face masks and other protective gears on the occasion.

Another Chinese doctors’ team due on April 17

By Masood Sattar Khan 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Another team of Chinese doctors will be arriving Pakistan on April 17. The eight-member team of physicians will be coming over to help and share their expertise in coronavirus (COVID-19) with Pakistani counterparts. 

Meanwhile the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted permission to a special flight carrying Chinese doctors from Urunqi, a private television network reported on April 14. 

The special cargo plane will carry a team of eight Chinese doctors from Urumqi which will be landing at the Islamabad International Airport on April 17, whereas, the same flight will also uplift cargo on the return flight. 

The CAA, while granting permission for the landing of the aircraft, clarified that the disembarkation of cabin crew will not be allowed and all the prevailing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to international flights to be followed. 

This will be the second batch of Chinese team arriving Pakistan. Earlier, a team of Chinese doctors had undertaken a visit Pakistan for around two weeks during which they had consultations with local healthcare specialists in the light of their experience and success in curbing COVID-19 in China. 

Before returning to China on April 10, the team members had also called on President Dr Arif Alvi, who eulogized the all-weather Pakistan-China friendship.The Chinese doctors also visited provincial capitals of Punjab and Sindh where they held meetings with Chief Ministers besides other dignitaries and health officials.

Shahzad Akhtar enlightens SMEDA session participants

Pakistan News & Features Services

Renowned management consultant, Shahzad Akhtar, enlightened the participants of the NBDP-SMEDA Online One on One Consultancy Session held through WhatsApp Video Call on April 14.

More than 45 participants from all over the country, representing different small and medium sized enterprises, availed the opportunity of seeking guidance from the vastly experienced consultant who suggested the ways and means to manage a business during the prevailing COVID-19 in Pakistan and rest of the world. 

The online session, which commenced at around 10 am, continued until 5 pm with the entrepreneurs, concerned by the general lack of business activities due to the pandemic, continued getting advice on operating their entities in such testing times and beyond. It turned out to be a great learning session, moderated by Bilal Ayyub of NBDP-SMEDA.

Shahzad Akhtar, having nearly three decades of experience in the corporate sector at top level positions, advised the entrepreneurs to bring austerity in their personal and professional life in order to meet the challenge of today. 

Being a management & SME’s consultant for a long time, he didn’t mince words in informing the participants that the business climate may remain far from ideal in the foreseeable future which meant it essential to bring out the operating costs for longer sustenance. 

He also threw light on the post corona pandemic scenario, stating that things may not improve overnight and it will take more time than just a few months before the situation gets normalized. 

Besides offering solutions to the various challenges being faced by the participants, he stressed the need to stay positive and motivated to be able to mobilize the available resources in a more prudent manner.

Shahzad Akhtar encouraged the various businesses to think more terms in terms of digitalization and E-commerce as the world will be more towards it in the post corona era. 

The National Business Development Programme for SMEs (NBDP) is a project of SMEDA, funded through Public Sector Development Programme of the Government of Pakistan. 

It envisages provision of handholding support and business development services to SMEs to promote business startup, improvement of efficiencies in existing SME value chains to make them globally competitive.

Swift screening planned in interior Sindh

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Amidst apprehensions that authorities have stopped conducting coronavirus tests among population in the interior districts, the Sindh health department, on April 13, announced a two-prong action plan to check people belonging to tableeghi jamat in various districts of Sindh.

The Sindh Health Minister, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho in a statement said that health department has started a process from April 13 to screen around 1,950 people from tableeghi jamat located in 12 districts. 

The screening, as per the given protocols, will be completed in a week time, she added, saying that majority of tableeghi jamat members were elderly and vulnerable to the virus and they must be saved from the corona disease. 

As per the plan as many as 241 people will be screened at Hyderabad, while another 248 at Tando Allahyar, 128 at Umerkot, 307 at Nawabshah and 66 at Jamshoro in the first phase. 

An information officer of the government said that the initial examination and screening will determine that who should be tested against the virus. 

Earlier, the screen exercise was done in the case of tableeghi jamat members at Hyderabad, which yielded 91 corona infected cases, the officer added, saying the results of tests at Hyderabad has led the health department to ensure screening of other members of tableeghi jamat, which will help contain the coronavirus infections and give due treatment to the infected people in the interior of Sindh. 

According to him, the next round of screening will be carried out on 105 tableeghi jamat members in Tando Muhammad Khan, 222 in Dadu, 44 in Matiari, 231 in Naushero Feroz, 242 in Thatta, 105 in Badin, 128 in Umerkot. 

Earlier some observers had been airing concerns that the health authorities were focusing largely on Karachi, while interior districts were being ignored, despite the possibility of spread of the virus through the not-reached pilgrims and tableeghi members. It was also stressed that government should enhance its testing facilities in other parts of the province. 

In the meantime, the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) has screened about 5,030 patients at its Coronavirus Clinic started on March 18. Of the 615 tested 154 were found positive for coronavirus, while 250 negative. The results of the remaining tests are awaited, an official of the institute disclosed on April 13.

'DUHS researchers make COVID-19 breakthrough'

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The researchers at Karachi’s Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), on April 13, claimed having achieved a significant breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19.

They, according to a DUHS press release, have succeeded in preparing intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) with plasma obtained from cured patients of coronavirus. “Through the IVIG the coronavirus patients can be treated.” 

The researchers, led by Dr Shaukat Ali, Principal, Dow College of Biotechnology, were of the view that their method was considerably different from plasma therapy, which is allowed only in emergencies due to its side effects. “Treating a coronavirus patient with IVIG is safe and highly effective, with small risk.” 

They further remarked that the treatment by hyper immunoglobulin (H-IVIG) is already approved by the US Federal agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for normal conditions. 

The press release said that the research team has developed this H-IVIG after days of continuous hard work. “The team was able to collect first blood sample in March 2020 and managed to isolate antibodies chemically, purified it and later concentrated these antibodies."

It was further stated that this happened to be the first global report of isolation, formulation and safety demonstration of immunoglobulin purified from recovered COVID-19 patient and can be a ray of hope in this time of crisis when the country is faced with coronavirus. 

“The method is also a type of passive immunization but uses purified antibodies rather than the whole plasma. The treatment does not carry the undesired component of blood like plasma proteins, potential bacterial and viral pathogens,” the DUHS communication quoted the researcher group saying such purified antibodies are commercially available globally against diseases like tetanus, rabies, Influenza and hepatitis. 

“Laboratory testing and safety trial of the formulated product (experimental vials) in animals have been successful,” it added. 

In the meantime, the university Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr M Saeed Quraishy has assigned task to clinicians at Dow hospital to team up with researchers to devise a strategy for fulfilling ethical and regulatory requirements for trials. 

The members of the IVIG research team included Dr Shobha Luxmi, Syed Muneebuddin, Mir Rashid Ali, Ayesha Ali, Mujtaba Khan, Fatima Anjum and Dr Sohaib Tauheed.