The doctors working at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Saturday demanded the government to further tighten the lockdown and provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to all the healthcare professionals.

Addressing a press conference, PIMS Employees spokesman Dr Asfandyar warned that the policy of relaxing the lockdown would have disastrous consequences, as he asked the government to revise the strategy. The people should offer the Taraweeh at their homes, he added.

While highlighting the fact that they are professionals, not politicians, he reminded the media persons that the coronavirus was being transmitted locally.

The healthcare staff is being affected by the virus and the numbers of those treating the patients would be drastically increased if the trend continued, Dr Asfandyar warned as he mentioned the death of a senior doctor in Peshawar earlier in the day.

Dr Asfand stated that the virus is not coming from outside but it is being transmitted locally therefore strict lockdowns should be implemented.

See Also: Pakistan extends virus lockdown till May 9

He further added that doctors and health workers are the frontline soldiers therefore regular supplies and distribution of quality protective equipment needed to be ensured.

Talking about the substandard protection gear, he said the government was responsible for providing quality items and called for providing the PPE to every health professional working at the hospitals.

About the financial package, he rejected the announcement of one-month additional pay and said it should be disbursed during the entire period of coronavirus pandemic to every staff member. 

Earlier, a senior doctor Dr Prof Javed died of coronavirus in Peshawar. He was being treated at the isolation centre of Hayatabad Medical Complex as he had been diagnosed with the virus 15 days ago. He breathed his last after remaining on a ventilator for the past few days.

The deceased doctor was associated with the ENT Department of Hayatabad Medical Complex.

An official report released the other day said as many as 253 healthcare staff – including doctors and nurses – had so far been infected by the coronavirus in the country. The virus has also claimed the lives of three doctors, it added.

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