(Karachi) Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr.
Faisal Sultan on Thursday said that Pakistan was committed to containing the
coronavirus outbreak while ensuring that gains made in other areas were not
impeded. Speaking during a virtual press briefing of the health ministers from
the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR); Sultan said that Pakistan was a
country affected not just by Covid-19 but also by natural disasters and other
emergencies. ‘We are also battling polio; and our decade-long efforts to
eradicate this disease are now being impacted by Covid-19; as the polio staff
and resources are diverted to the pandemic response’ he said. Despite the
challenges; he added; ‘Pakistan is committed to containing the outbreak while
ensuring that gains made so far in other areas were not impeded.’ He said that
there were many achievements in the country’s battle against Covid-19 since the
start of the pandemic in February this year; and noted that there had been
significant reduction in the transmission by July and August. ‘However; like
many countries around the world, easing of lockdowns resulted in a resurgence
of cases in October. This required a strategic review of our response’ he said.
The SAPM said Covid-19 has led the country to rethink its approach of managing
points of entry (PoE) and outlined five findings. He elaborated the findings as
developing sustainable human resource capacity; prioritizing investments in new
quarantine infrastructure and mapping of available facilities; establishing
professional training programme for PoE tailored for both health and non health
staff; restructuring and modifying physical PoE premises to reduce risk of
transmission; and managing data and sharing with stakeholders. He further said
that there were well functioning multiple disease surveillance systems in
Pakistan. Some outstanding achievements with case-based reporting like polio;
VPD, Covid-19 and solid aggregated reporting for some vertical program using
DHIS2 like malaria; TB and HIV. However, he stressed that it was clear that
there was a need to progressively build and expand integrated program and
geographical coverage with governance implementation and resource management,
data convergence; strengthening key technical aspects and ensuring quality
assurance. The SAPM said that Pakistan was heavily dependent on its experience
acquired on the social and digital media platforms, as well as local
community-based workers that also included listening tools used for rumor
management and two-way communication with communities. ‘There are; however;
limited resources and seasoned expertise dedicated to risk communication at
federal and provincial levels; the capacity building lacks integration and need
for consolidating all monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; and this is an area
we are working on to build together with partners;’ he added. Dr. Sultan
stressed the need for a rapid review ‘on what worked well and what needs to be
improved’ for planning a more effective response to the pandemic. However; he
underscored that the response should not let the planners forget the need for
continuing essential health care services.
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