Govt urged to declare medical emergency to curb third wave of COVID-19

HYDERABAD: Fearing the third wave of COVID-19 turning out to be deadlier, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has called upon the government and health authorities to declare medical emergency in the province.

In a statement issued here on Monday, PMA Hyderabad president Dr. Agha Taj Muhammad and Dr. Muhammad Zaman Baloch said the third wave of coronavirus could become more dangerous than previous waves if SOPs had not been implemented properly.

The COVID-19 positivity ratio has reached from 8 to 10 percent daily and it is rapidly growing, Dr. Agha Taj said and demanded of the Sindh government to vaccinate people aged 45 and above on priority basis to protect them from the virus.

In order to keep children protected all teaching staff of the public as well as private schools should be vaccinated without any delay, PMA office bearers said.

They called upon authorities concerned to ensure implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) every where including government offices, schools, banks and the assemblies so that third wave of the contagions could be curbed to spread further.

They said coronavirus had become global pandemic which could be faced by adopting preventive measures and awareness campaign should also be launched to contain it.

The Municipal and Cantonment Board authorities were urged to maintain cleanliness in their respective areas and ensure implementation on SOPs.

PMA also demanded that all isolation wards in district headquarter and teaching hospitals must be made operational so that serious positive patients could be admitted for proper treatment.

Dr. Agha Taj said DG Health should pay visit to COVID-19 vaccination centres on daily basis to review progress of vaccination process.