Epidemics are not new to Pakistan. Every year, we have a surge of malaria (300,000 to 1 million cases), dengue fever (53,000 cases), H1N1, viral hepatitis and now chikungunya being the latest epidemic. We are also not immune to natural calamities like heatwaves, earthquakes, flooding, and famine. The experience of all these disasters should make healthcare professionals at the front foot of managing an epidemic. The world is facing these issues for the first time, but lack of resources is not a new thing for developing countries. Vaccination trials are being conducted at lightning speed with 35 companies participating in creating the first vaccine but the procurement of this vaccine on a mass level is beyond the capacity of the developing nations. The testing kits are being cautiously utilized as these too are few and imported from other countries. Thus, what remains is our defiance in dealing with epidemics with our meager resources. Our strength lies in our ability to mobilize our large number of healthcare professionals in the best possible manner, use ingenious methods to counter the problem of PPE and specific protocols for testing, and invest in media and public health forums to educate people about prevention. Only through these methods, will we be able to tackle the problem in the best effective manner.
Key words: Corona virus, COVID-19, Pandemic, Resources, South Asia
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