POBNEWS24, Dhaka Apr 3, 2021:The infection is spreading fast. There is no continuity in the decisions and steps of the government. Public health experts say tough measures should be taken.
The government has not been able to make the right decision in time to control corona infection. The health department has virtually no plans to deal with the second wave. Public health experts are speaking out for tougher measures. However, the government has chosen moderation.
The government stopped tourism in the three districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, then in Cox’s Bazar and across the country in the face of rapid spread of corona infection. At the same time, no one knows why it was not decided to stop tourism in all parts of the country. Despite the government’s advice not to hold mass rallies, the MBBS admission test was held on Friday. There would be no special damage if this test was passed. It is true that there were restrictions on the arrival of passengers from Europe and 12 other countries, but after the transition situation was far from over. Scientists at the University of Oxford found the best protection against the corona tick if the time difference between the first and second doses was 12 weeks. The Department of Health initially differentiated the duration of the two doses to four weeks, followed by eight weeks. There are many more examples of such incidents in the last one year.
Infections are increasing day by day, breaking records due to inability to make timely decisions, lack of effective plans to control infections, and indifference on the part of the general public to comply with hygiene regulations. The Department of Health reported 6,630 new cases yesterday. The detection rate is 23.28 percent compared to the sample test.
The authorities of a private hospital in Dhaka told Prothom Alo yesterday that the number of infections has increased in Dhaka city. Half of the samples they test every day are not identified.
People associated with the sample test think that people who want to go abroad, people in important government departments, many people who do not have symptoms are being tested. Excluding their samples from the test will show that the rate of infection is much higher. The second wave of the corona will roll far away.
Lack of preparation
Mujaherul Haque, a former consultant for the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia region , told Prothom Alo that a second wave of infections has been reported in various parts of the world. The second wave has been discussed in Bangladesh for about six months now. When the wave came, it was seen that the health department was not ready. Infections are on the rise, deaths are on the rise, and there are fears of hospital beds.
Infection is expected to increase after a ‘UK variant’ of the coronavirus was identified in the country on 5 January. But then the government did not take strict action against the arrival of passengers from the United Kingdom. Quarantine was said to last seven days, even four days. Virologists say quarantine should be 14 days.
A member of the National Technical Advisory Committee of the Department of Health, speaking on condition of anonymity , told Prothom Alo yesterday that the trend has been on the rise since a month ago. That is when regulatory measures were needed. But was not taken.
On March 1, there were 575 new identities and the identification rate was 4.31. Since then, the rate of new patients and identification has increased regularly. Professor Tahmina Shirin, director of the government’s Institute of Pathology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) , told Prothom Alo : Asked why no steps were taken to control the infection then, Tahmina Shirin said it was not possible for the health department alone to take important state decisions.
Apart from infection control, there is also a lack of preparation for treatment. Yesterday, there were only 46 empty beds in the 10 hospitals allotted for Kovid in Dhaka city. Kurmitola General Hospital and Rajarbagh Police Hospital, on the other hand, had more Kovid patients than the prescribed number of beds. In the last two days, it has been reported that more than one patient had to visit different hospitals in the capital for admission. The hospital was supposed to increase the supply of ICU beds and oxygen but it did not happen. A detailed report has been published in Prothom Alo .
Professor Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Director General of the Department of Health , told Prothom Alo : In the current situation, some hospitals will have to increase the number of beds, while some hospitals will have to be allocated for the entire cove. There are many complications. We have to consider the issues of resources and capabilities. He said steps have been taken to increase the number of beds at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, National Kidney Hospital, Mental Hospital, Heart Hospital, Mahanagar Hospital, Lalkuthi Hospital and Sheikh Russell Gastroliver Hospital.
