By Mukhtar Alam:

The Sindh Health Minister, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, has asked the all government hospitals to reopen their outpatient departments (OPDs).

On April 8, she was chairing a video conference, attended by the medical superintendents (MS) of the hospitals and vice-chancellors of medical universities in Sindh.

She advised that the hospitals, unable to operate their OPDs, may attend to patients through telemedicine.

In the meantime, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) complaining about inadequate supply of protective gears in the case of healthcare has noted that such items were being misused.

In a statement, the doctors’ body said that these days politicians and bureaucrats are often seen wearing N-95 facemasks during their meetings and visits, whereas health professionals are facing dire shortage of N-95 mask and personal protection equipment.

“This is important to note that N-95 mask is not necessary for everybody. This is only needed in the quarantine and isolation facilities for the health providers treating coronavirus patients, who are at the highest risk of acquiring coronavirus,” the PMA official added.