ISLAMABAD, APR 20 (DNA) – The prevention is the key to deal with the global healthcare crisis effectively.

The existing healthcare structures, especially in the developing countries like Pakistan cannot bear the burden of the influx of infected patients of coronavirus beyond a certain limit and hence, prevention must be considered as a most crucial priority for fighting the global pandemic.

The experts and practitioners from the health sector shared this views with the audience at online policy dialogue titled ‘COVID -19 Pandemic: Challenges of Health care system of Pakistan’ organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here on Monday. The representatives from healthcare departments, NGOs and supply chain markets attended the dialogue.

Dr Samreen Sarfraz, representing Indus Hospital Karachi, said that the healthcare professionals that are at the forefront of the pandemic are lacking the personal protective equipment. The health workers are working in double shifts and are highly vulnerable to the disease.

She said that it’s unfortunate that social distancing is being violated and religious congregations are being allowed that could be a receipt of the huge disaster.

Dr Majid Shafiq, from Harvard Medical School USA, said that even the hospitals in the developed countries are facing the situation of the short of staff.

He said that the extraordinary situation demands extraordinary measure and thus human exposure must be minimized at every level. He says religious communities including Muslim prayer leaders in U.A. are fully cooperating with the authorities to ensure social distancing.

Ms Sadiya Razzaq, health sector expert, said that the healthcare services in Pakistan were insufficient even in the pre-Covid-19 situation. She said that besides prevention, preparedness should be a key leering of the crisis and challenge we are facing today.

Dr Sundas Younis, PIMS Islamabad and Dr Faraz from Multan also shared the situation of the respective cities and highlighted the importance of effective social distancing to stop the spread of the pandemic.

Dr Hina Aslam, SDPI, earlier presented an outlook of healthcare sector in Pakistan in terms of capacity to deal with the crisis and the issues being faced by the health workers.=DNA