WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom made the comment at the launch of the Pakistan National Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan virtual conference.
“Without effective interventions there could be an estimated 200K+ cases by mid-July. The impacts on the economy could be devastating, doubling the number of people living in poverty. We must act in solidarity, with a coherent, coordinated approach,” WHO quoted Tedros as saying.
There have been reports that some prayer leaders and elders of various areas have refused to abide by the SOPs issued by the district administration and the police during Ramazan and vowed to organise Taraweeh prayers in congregations, media reports said.
Talking to leading English daily Dawn, caretaker of a seminary and a mosque, Nazeer Ahmed, insisted that Covid-19 was nothing but God’s wrath for their wrongdoings.
He claimed that so far no case had been reported from any mosque.
Earlier, two separate agreements were signed between the administration and the leading ulema on Wednesday to implement the SOPs during Ramazan, Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, doctors in Lahore continued hunger strike on 8th consecutive day and the protesting doctors of Grand Health Alliance and Young Doctors Association addressed a joint press conference, giving warning to convert hunger strike into sit-in if their demands are not accepted by Punjab govt. Doctors alleged that govt is not taking care of them and they are removed from service if they demand their rights. They said doctors are working in the hospitals without safety kits.
The healthcare system in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), which was already in very bad state due to state apathy, is now collapsing under the COVID-19 outbreak.
The region, which has already registered 50 corona cases, is struggling to provide treatment to patients suffering from other diseases and healthcare related problems.
