‘Health system not capable to bear burden’

From Abid Usman

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said the Pakistan’s healthcare delivery system will have no means to bear the disease burden, if coronavirus spread went out of control as in the US.
“There will be no option but to withdraw relaxations and impose strict restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus,” he said.
As soon as businesses opened, the Governor regretted that people came out of their homes in droves believing that the dreadful coronavirus had subsided. But actually, he said, the situation of virus spread was getting serious every passing day. He said the Pakistan’s defense was in safe hands and India would be responded in the same coin, if it dared any misadventure against Pakistan and added that the whole nation was standing with the Pakistan Army. He was addressing a ceremony of 120,000 masks’ distribution and opening of 32 disinfection tunnels besides speaking to media persons at Hafeez Centre on Monday.
Replying to a media person’s question, the governor said the government had relaxed the lockdown restrictions to ensure that masses’ economic problems be mitigated but people had begun misusing the facility and coming out of their homes aimlessly. He said such lapses would lead to spread of coronavirus at dangerous level. He stressed that everyone coming out of their homes should observe SOPs in letter and spirit otherwise they would not only invite trouble for themselves but also infect others causing burden on the healthcare delivery system.
Responding to another question, the governor said strict lockdown would immediately be imposed to save Pakistan from a bigger crisis, if the coronavirus spread saw surge during the current relaxations. He said the fight against coronavirus pandemic was not of any individual or the government alone but the whole nation.
Governor Punjab said that Indian’s government had become a serious threat to peace in the region and started violating ceasefire on the Line of Control as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s true face was exposed around the world. Observing that India is trying to fan war hysteria, the governor reminded India of Pakistan’s Feb 27 response as it’s air-force jet tried to enter Pakistan’s territory.
He said all 220 million Pakistanis were standing alongside the Pakistan Army to give a befitting reply to its enemy. “India must stop the war hysteria, resolve Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions and ensure due protection and basic human rights to Muslims in India.