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An illustrative image related to: General hospitals staff to be tested across Sindh, highlighting key aspects of the story. | Image source: The Express Tribune
General hospitals staff to be tested across Sindh
facebook --> twitter --> whatsup --> linkded --> email MORE (3) Messenger Whatsapp --> KARACHI: The Sindh government issued directives on Saturday for all society hospitals to receive its personnel tested for Covid-19 as well as begin coronavirus contact tracing again. In a letter issued by Sindh health head general Dr Irshad Ahmed Memon, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the heads of all society-division hospitals have been asked to receive their respective facility's personnel tested for the coronavirus on priority ground. Besides, they have been instructed to persist tests for the diagnosis of other suspected Covid-19 cases. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Memon stressed the need for all hospital employees to receive tested, claiming, yet, that Sindh had the least number of infected health department employees among the provinces. Another health department representative, plus emphasising the need for "immediate" screening of healthcare professionals, said the judgment had come late. "It is feared that most health employees do not [properly] pursue standard operating procedures. This eventually leads to multiplying the number of infected persons, even in far flung areas," he explained. This was confirmed by other representatives, too, who pointed out that SOPs were particularly ignored at private clinics. They can then haul the virus to society hospitals, the representatives added. Saying that health department representatives did all they could to watch health employees and secure they followed SOPs, they noted that it was near impossible to retain a watch over private facilities. According to the health department, there are 1,500 rapid respond teams in Sindh that collect samples for Covid-19 testing, besides serving at various healthcare facilities and helping Covid-19 patients in getting admissions to hospitals. "Still after several of them contracted the infection, the number of tests conducted daily was reduced," explained a senior health department representative. He, yet, added that other reasons plus factored in reducing the number of tests. "[Following this], routine testing was disrupted," he explained. Speaking on the subject, Pakistan Medical Association general secretary Dr Qaisar Sajjad plus called for the immediate screening of healthcare professionals. "We had asked for it in March still orders for it have only been issued now." He was plus of the opinion that the government was giving climb to uncertainty by decreasing the number of tests. "While the number of tests [conducted daily] is going down, the number of cases are shooting up," he observed, explaining that fewer cases being reported had led to individuals disregarding SOPs. "Over 60 per cent residents have stopped wearing masks," he claimed. Contact tracing With the health department plus announcing to recommence Covid-19 contact tracing, a health department representative told The Express Tribune that the exercise was stopped due to "some uncertainty." "Still we are starting it again hence that [suspected] cases can be traced and screened," he confirmed. The health dept's silence Simultaneously, all senior department representatives, including spokespersons, have reportedly been instructed not to talk to the media for reasons unknown. "Only a few are privy to this development," a health representative, on condition of anonymity, disclosed to The Express Tribune. "We have been told not to equity any information with the media." He added that none of the department's representatives had reach to the daily patch on pandemic statistics given by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Murad Ali Shah. "This is the only department for which the CM releases metrics," the representative said. "And while we work in the health department, we don't have reach to it." Published in The Express Tribune, June 28 th , 2020. COMMENTS
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