LARKANA:Two more pilgrims who returned from Iran have been detected COVID-19 positive on Friday bringing the total to nine positive cases so far detected in Larkana. 43 suspected people are still kept at Quarantine Centre established at Areeja Campus of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University on Friday and all others have been allowed to go home.
These positive cases have been detected among the 36 new pilgrims who were brought at the Centre four days before and their test was conducted at Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS). The remaining 34 people have been isolated separately. This was disclosed by incharge District Health Officer (DHO) Larkana, who is also focal officer for coronavirus, Dr. Athar Shah, while talking to newsmen as post of DHO (BPS-20) is still vacant and Dr. Shah is in BPS-19 and has no previous administrative experience. He said test report has not yet been sent to him but he has been informed about these two cases.
On the other hand, reliable sources at the Centre told this scribe that since last five days no sanitary worker has been posted at the Centre due to which cleanliness issue has worsened as all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) discarded by doctors and paramedics are thrown under open sky in the Centre and there is nobody to properly dispose off the dangerous waste.
These sources further said that one Chandka Hospital doctor is performing morning duty, another belong to IHS who performs in the evening and night shift is looked after by PPHI doctor and each shift is managed by two paramedics deputed by CMCH, IHS and PPHI. Sources further claimed that PPE is also not given to the duty doctors and paramedics for which they have to make frequent requests to the DHO and other relevant officers. Four duty doctors posted at Quarantine Centre and Isolation Ward have already been advised by district administration to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure.