Focus on confidence building: experts
Although the government is working to prevent the novel coronavirus in the country, their approach is lacking in case the virus turns into a pandemic, speakers at a discussion said yesterday.
Urging the government to plan for the future with equal focus on both urban and rural areas, they also stressed intensive crisis communication to grow people's trust and awareness.
"The government's preparation is definitely not negligible, but the question is whether they followed the right approach," said Prof Muzaherul Huq, founder of Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh, in the discussion arranged by Doctors for Health and Environment at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.
Pointing to different measures like home care and cyclical special teams for clinical care during emergency, this former South East Asia Advisor of World Health Organization (WHO) said, "There is a need for advanced preparation for emergency. The [government's] plan is in very early stage. The work should be made speedy."
Sources said staffers of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) are currently preparing the emergency action plan.
"The problem is the government wants to do everything alone," he said, raising question why coronavirus test facility is only Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) centric.
Currently, IEDCR is the lone organisation that has the facility and authority to test suspected coronavirus cases in the country.
Prof Dr Sania Tahmina, additional director of DGHS, said, "We are planning to integrate required bio-safety level for coronavirus tests in around 4-5 laboratories in the country."
Dr ASM Alamgir, chief scientific officer of virology at IEDCR described the latest global and local situation of coronavirus outbreak at the event presided over by Prof M Abu Sayeed, president of Doctors for Health and Environment.
On the misconception that the virus cannot survive in the hot weather of Bangladesh, Dr Alamgir, coordinator of IEDCR control room said, "High temperature has nothing to do with virus. Pandemic never depends on season. It declines after a period of time."
Masks are not needed as long as people maintain good hygiene, and frequently sanitise or wash their hands, he added.
Speaking at the event, Prof Dr Rashid-E-Mahbub, former president of Bangladesh Medical Association, said, "We [people] are suffering from unawareness and over-awareness… the government should work on building confidence among people."
He suggested the government to use media to circulate the right message to create awareness and confidence among people.
Conducted by Dr Kazi Rafiqul, general secretary of Doctors for Health and Environment, a keynote was presented by Dr Sarwar Ibn Salam, assistant professor at Dhaka Medical College, where he stressed on preparedness during probable emergencies.
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