ISLAMABAD: Pakistan still has a narrow window of opportunity to learn from the experiences as well as errors of other countries in order to evolve a comprehensive policy to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic is also an opportunity for the nation to become self-reliant in pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering and public health management on war footings, these were views of experts at the second session of a webinar series, ‘Covid-19: Global Challenge, National Response,’ organized by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
Is not the time for a popularity contest and so some tough decisions, which could be politically costly, have to be taken to save lives and the economy, a press statement issued after the event quoted the policy experts as saying.
Policy analyst Syed Muhammad Ali said; “extent of the pandemic, whether economic, political, cultural, social or health, varies for different countries and their political systems are tackling this challenge in different ways. But the longer the critical decisions are delayed, the more a country’s resources come under stress and it faces economic, political and social problems”.
Keeping in view the current situation, he said that various tactic need to be deployed in the war against Covid-19 including close international economic collaboration, use of medical technology and international diplomacy.
He asked the government take some strategic measures, which include a national strategic medical supplies stockpile or database, national and international collaboration in biomedical research, three levels of compulsory 14-day quarantine at international, inter-provincial and local levels, online crisis management training courses for quarantine center staff, initiation of a national crisis information management system, and monopoly of National Disaster Management Authority on all related information.
Ali said in these trying times it is critical that Pakistan should lobby with other developing nations to ask the international financial institutions for a review of their financial arrangements and assistance programs based on humanitarian concerns.
He said the government has submitted a report with the Supreme Court that it expects 50,000 positive cases of coronavirus by April 25. So if the situation worsens then the government should declare food, healthcare, petroleum and banking sectors as critical and manage them directly, he added.
if the situation worsens then the government should declare food, healthcare, petroleum and banking sectors as critical and manage them directly
He stressed that ration distribution should be more effective in the areas that had been hit by insurgency in the past so that the anti-state elements are not able to exploit the crisis. Similarly, charity work and fund raising has to be legal, transparent and recorded to avoid serious consequences for Pakistan at Financial Action Task Force.
Speaking about the capacity of Public sector organisations he said that “they have more technical capacity than the private sector. As such the government has to decide which sectors can be used for crisis management. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry could review which goods can be produced locally by tailoring the production lines”.
Furthermore, he said that large chain stores should create an app-based delivery system and collect payment through card swipe machines. The system could be extended to meat, poultry, milk, bakery and medical deliveries.
“The situation should be declared a global human security challenge and a coordinated and all-encompassing initiative launched for international collaboration in all dimensions”, he added.
According to him the lessons can be learnt from the experience of the countries of Central Asia Republics. ”Dealing with losses is not the actual problem, it is better implementation of precautionary measures that counts” he added.
Khalid Rahman, another speaker said mosque as an institution could play a vital role in crisis management in the current situation. At present this institution is in a state of disquiet but can attain a central position in the Coronavirus fight, if handled intelligently and by getting it on board.
He suggested making the beginning of Ramazan the terminal point ahead of which there could be consultations and efforts to get people on the same page regarding this issue.
Dr Waqar , Member of IPS Academic Council said a comprehensive policy should have been formulated through consultations between the federation, provinces and armed forces to counter the pandemic and the ensuing crisis.
Pointing out towards the federal government, he said it initiated lockdown quite late on March 25 and that too in a halfhearted manner; even now it is trying to pass the buck where responsibility is concerned.
He termed it a timely move by the government to seek from the country’s international lenders a rescheduling of the huge external public debt-related repayments till the crisis ends.
The positive outcome of the crisis is that it has provided the country a chance to become self-reliant and overcome shortcomings. Now it is time to grab new opportunities in various sectors, one of which is technology-the field of the future, he added
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