Key point in comparing Covid-19 polices from states & countries: what works & what doesn't. S.Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand etc did something right; USA, Brazil, India, Italy, UK did something wrong. S.Korea did lockdown right, India did lockdown wrong...#COVIDー19 (1/13)
Key factor also how soon lockdown was done and how effectively it was managed. Some like NZ did so efficiently while others like India blundered by rushing into it w/out preparation leading to horrendous impact on vulnerable population. #COVIDー19 (2/13)
Key question for Pakistan: how do we keep mortality rate low 100 days into the pandemic while waiting with the world for Covid-19 vaccine? It is a moving target but some options present themselves based on lessons learnt from experiences of other countries #COVIDー19 (4/13)
Lesson 1) Don't take any option off the table as the situation is evolving fast. Learn from countries that have communicated with efficiency & empathy. A massive campaign to inform & educate people about SOPs should be considered an urgent option #COVIDー19 (5/13)
Lesson 2) Sharp governance is needed to bridge gap between perception of hospitals going full & reality (as claimed) of the health system still having excess capacity. Panic must not be allowed to set in & govt must ensure patients get critical care available #COVIDー19 (6/13)
Lesson 3) If pressure on health facilities mounts swiftly, govt should consider limited lockdowns to break the chain of infections. This should not be rushed & catastrophic lockdown like Narendra Modi did but a planned one with lessons learnt from previous one #COVIDー19 (7/13)
...Govt should utilise the time now to coordinate with international and domestic donors, NGOs & welfare organisations to put together a plan for providing rations & funds to vulnerable population. Public-private partnership can make this happen #COVIDー19 (8/13)
... Major relief organisations have data that can complement Nadra data to reach targeted population effectively. Funds from donors can add to Ehsaas program funds to sustain the needy for a specific time period. Empathy can be operationalised #COVIDー19 (9/13)
Lesson 4) Strategic national direction is key for communication & service delivery. NCOC is ideally suited for this purpose. Expanding its role should be considered a priority. So far NCOC has coordinated with provinces and managed day-to-day operations...#COVIDー19 (10/13)
It should consider bringing in more experts into its fold as regular members (health, economic, communication, epidemiology specialists, data scientists etc) to provide all governments technical, adminstrative & operational support...#COVIDー19
...NCOC has become a nerve centre for Pakistan's fight against Covid-19. It's fighting the good fight. Since it's inception it has worked round the clock & develop expertise from the ground up. Now begins Phase 2 of the fight. NCOC needs to be strengthened further
Lesson 5) Learn from mistakes so we can be smarter in Phase 2. We are still far better than most affected countries in terms of mortality rate. A bit more focus, clarity, messaging & coordination should put us in a stronger position as we plunge into Phase 2...
...Time is of the essence. Govt needs to move fast & move smart. Let's learn from Jacinda Ardern, not Narendra Modi; let's learn from Angela Merkel not from Donald Trump, but above all let's learn from our own experience.
