75% Pakistanis stressed due to pandemic: Study

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Three out of four Pakistani adults are suffering from moderate or high levels of stress during this COVID-19 pandemic while nearly one in three are experiencing moderate or severe anxiety, according to the preliminary findings of a mental health study conducted by the Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi. 

The researchers from the department of community health sciences (CHS) conducted an online survey of 373 respondents between April and May, the study’s first phase, using validated screening tools to determine if people had generalized anxiety disorder, perceived stress or both conditions. More than 90 per cent of the participants were from Sindh and Punjab. 

The respondents ranked the top three causes of anxiety and stress as being fear of contracting the virus, financial losses during the pandemic and losing a loved one to COVID-19. 

The survey participants were much more concerned about their loved ones catching the disease with nearly eight out of ten respondents, or 76 percent, feeling a lot of fear or extreme fear of those close to them falling ill. In contrast, four of ten respondents, or 36 per cent, reported a lot of fear or extreme fear about catching the virus themselves. 

“The pandemic has exposed our social and economic vulnerabilities and created widespread uncertainty in society. If left unchecked, stress associated with COVID-19 can lead to distress and the distress can lead to disease,” Professor Sameen Siddiqi, the CHS department chair, observed.

“Those already suffering from anxiety and stress are especially vulnerable to advanced illnesses such as depression and other mental health disorders,” Maryam Lakhdir, the study’s principal investigator and a senior instructor in the CHS department, reckoned. 

“The findings suggest that we are at risk of a mental health crisis during a pandemic. Policymakers must prioritise psychosocial interventions to limit the chances of long-lasting scars on our mental health,” she added. 

The study also found a high correlation between exposure to rumours via WhatsApp and anxiety or stress, since more than eight out of ten respondents suffering from the two conditions were using this social media platform as the respondents frequently checking the news also had more anxiety and stress. 

“Misinformation, conspiracy theories, and rumour mongering are likely to lead to mental health issues during the pandemic,” Dr Romaina Iqbal, the lead of CHS’s non-communicable diseases and mental health section, pointed out. 

The study will continue to enroll participants until the end of August and findings will continue to be released to monitor changes in the population’s mental health. 

Dr Iqbal Azam from AKU’s department of community health sciences, Apsara Ali, a research specialist from AKU’s department of paediatrics and child health, and graduate students in epidemiology and biostatistics, Drs Ghazal Peerwani and Hareem Fatima, were also involved in the study.

Coronavirus Update: Sindh having highest infection rate

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh added the maximum 53% cases to the national daily tally of COVID-19 infections on July 14 when the provincial health authorities registered 1,151 new positive cases, with 37 more related fatalities during the last 24 hours across the province. In all Pakistan reported 2,165 news COVID-19 cases on July 14, including 553 from Punjab, 254 from KPK, 113 from Islamabad Capital territory, 47 from Balochistan and other territories.

According to the Sindh Health department daily COVID-19 summary, different designated laboratories examined 9,972 samples during the last 24 hours ending on July 14 morning, out of which 1,151, including 521 from Karachi, were found positive. Sindh’s daily infection rate came as 11.5%. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his daily COVID-19 status statement, remarked that the province had a total 107,773 infections since February 26 when Karachi reported the first COVID-19 case of the country, out of which 40,490, including 843 in critical conditions, were under treatment at hospitals, isolation centres and homes while as many as 121 patients were being provided with the ventilator support. 

The health department’s data reported Karachi having the maximum number of cases on July 14, followed by Jacobabad (64) Hyderabad (62), Khairpur (57), Umerkot (55), Shaheed Benazirabad (50), Larkana (41), Kambar Shadadkot (39), Dadu (35), Thatta (31), Shikarpur (28), Mirpurkhas (25), Ghotki (24), Sanghar (24), Badin (15), Sukkur (15), Kashmore (13), Jamshoro (12), Tando Allahyar (11), Matiari (9), Tando Mohammad Khan (5), Sujawal (2) and Naushero Feroze (1). 

Karachi and three other districts witnessed more deaths taking place at various hospitals and homes on July 14.

As many as 19 men aged 35 to 96 years and 15 women living in the age brackets of 24 to 80 years lost their lives at Karachi. Khairpur, Mirpurkhas and Tando Mohammad Khan registered death of one man each, who were aged between 55 to 65 years.

Karachi’s six districts have reported 1,601 COVID-19 fatalities so far, followed by Hyderabad (56), Larkana (31), Sukkur (23), Sanghar (11), Ghotki (11), Khairpur (11) and other districts.

In the meantime, a report compiled by the WHO Sindh sub office, as of July 13, revealed that the COVID-19 testing laboratories utilized only 32% of their collective testing capacity against 162% utilization of collective capacity of Hyderabad’s laboratories. The percentage of positive cases was the highest (19%) in Karachi while Hyderabad had 11%.

As many as 30% of the hospitalized patients at Karachi were put on ventilators on July 13, 21% at Hyderabad, 14% at Shaheed Benazirabad and 26% at Sukkur, the report added.

Agriculture drones arrive to combat locust

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, has continued taking up a number of innovations to make his presence felt in a big way. He has been keen in introducing modern gadgets for boosting efficiency.

He was credited to have introduced for the first time scientific calendar with precise dates of various Islamic events. 

When the country started confronting the COVID-19 pandemic and there was acute shortage of life saving ventilators, he stood up, took it up as a challenge and launched Made in Pakistan ventilators. 

As the country was passing through dual challenges of COVID-19 and locusts, he mobilized all his resources and succeeded in launching agriculture drones that could greatly help in stemming locust attacks which had challenged the country’s food security. 

Giving salient features of the state of the art Made in Pakistan drone made by a private entity on his directives, he said that the drone can carry 16 litres of pesticides and it can spray in 18 minutes to only the affected part of the agriculture land. 

Talking to media regarding his ministry's future plans, Fawad Chaudhry pointed out that he has formulated three, five and seven years plans as beyond that one couldn’t predict. 

This drone, he said, will be greatly helpful for small growers to safeguard their produce from insects and locusts and bring revolution in their life, pointing out that they will concentrate on three areas of chemicals, electronics and precision agriculture.

Pakistan's exports picking up despite pandemic

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s exports have started picking up recently despite economic slum all over the world because of COVID-19 pandemic. Pakistan's manufacturing sector has started getting millions of dollars export orders despite the pandemic scenario. 

The government’s ‘Make in Pakistan’ policy and work towards rapid industrialization aimed at enhancing exports and substituting imports have started paying dividends. 

A Pakistani company recently succeeded in procuring an order of sportswear from a famous brand while an electronic company also started exporting microwave ovens to Bangladesh.

This is the first-ever export of microwave ovens and it could be a new beginning for Pakistan engineering exports, particularly home appliances. 

In another development a cement company, after exporting its product to China, has now started exporting it to the Philippines. 

Pakistan, after getting the 100 million dollars face mask order from US, Canada and Europe, has now also allowed the export of PPEs & hand sanitizers thus opening door for the exporters to capture a good share of world market. 

Pakistan is making these developments despite COVID-19 crisis, being the manufacturer of small instruments in the past. It is now focusing more on bigger instruments and devices for export purposes consequently reducing the import burden.

“The exports of Pakistan are showing clear signs of recovery, due to the efforts of the exporters to diversify the products, in the wake of new opportunities arising amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, observed while chairing a meeting to discuss the export strategy of Pakistan. 

“We are fully prepared to exploit the economic and trade opportunities expected in the wake of the post-COVID-19 pandemic to increase local production for promoting Pakistan made products in global potential markets,” he added.

In a tweet the advisor said that export remittances from IT and ITES sector have picked up, showing a growth of 21% and fetching over a billion dollars in foreign exchange, in just 11 months of FY2019-20.

KPK expedites work on hydel projects

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has expedited construction work on seven hydel power projects in the province to ensure provision of low cost electricity and irrigation water. 

As per information shared by the KPK energy department, these projects are located in Mansehra, Swat, Shangla,lower Dir, Chitral and Kurram Agency. 

The KPK government has fixed the target for completing these seven projects by 2020. Upon completion, these projects will generate more than 400 MW electricity while helping irrigate thousands of barren lands.

CAA verifies licences of pilots

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

There was good news for the Pakistani pilots associated with Malaysian Airlines as the Civil Aviation Authority has verified their licences. 

 As per details disclosed by a private news channel, the CAA has expedited the process of verification of licences of the Pakistani pilots. 

In this connection, it was a heartening development that the licenses of 16 out of 17 pilots working with Malaysian Airlines have been verified. 

Initially, the Malaysian Civil Aviation had sent a list of 14 pilots for verification of their licences but three more names were added later. 

Through email, the CAA has intimated the verification of licences of 16 pilots to the Malaysian Authority. The Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority has appreciated the CAA for their prompt response.

All COVID-19 patients discharged from Lahore field hospital

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

All patients admitted at the field hospital setup for COVID-19 patients in Expo Centre, Lahore. have been discharged. 

According to the Punjab’s health department, the 990-bed coronavirus patient isolation ward had temporarily been abandoned. 

As many as 110 paramedic staff including doctors and nurses had been allocated for the centre, it was disclosed. 

The Punjab Health Minister, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, has also confirmed that there was no more patient left in the field hospital setup for COVID-19 patients at the Expo Centre in Lahore. 

However, she said that an oxygen facility for 300 beds was still available there, adding that the field hospital will remain functional till Muharram.

Chinese technicians reach Pakistan to expedite CPEC projects

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In order to expedite and to meet the schedule datelines of completion of various projects being completed under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, a group of technicians from China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) has arrived Pakistan. 

Onboard a chartered flight as many as 215 Chinese technicians have arrived Islamabad on July 13. This was the third batch of builders sent by the China’s state-owned construction enterprise for the CPEC projects, China Economic Net (CEN) reported. 

Upon the completion of quarantine, these Chinese technicians will be sent to Dasu Hydropower Project, Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Station, Suki Kinari Hydroelectric Project and Mohmand hydroelectric project. 

Due to the impact of the COVID-19, various projects were generally facing tight deadlines. The CGGC sent these technicians to facilitate the construction and make contributions to the completion of CPEC.