Even after two months of the corona outbreak in the country, the lack of coordination in prevention and medical management process of corona pandemic is still lingering.
Experts believe the only way to effectively contain the spread of virus lies in having a fast, cheap and easily available testing facility, supported by a well-laid out mechanism to quarantine a person the moment he or she is found positive.
However, the government's department of health has started making some dramatic changes in the recent times. Some significant decisions have been taken in the last one week, especially in the areas of sample collection, testing and treatment.
Research has already begun to determine the exact status of transmission of the coronavirus. Even in the case of these decisions, the committees formed to deal with the pandemic have now become vocal. The Department of Health is taking into account the recommendations and suggestions of the experts.
Experts further said if these decisions would have been made in time, corona virus would not have been so widespread. The spread of local infections to the community level could have been prevented to some extent. Even now the upward trend of infection and death could be kept to a tolerable level.
Medicine specialist professor ZM Kabir Chowdhury told Bangladesh Post that the main problem lies in the process of lack of coordination.
“First of all, we made the mistake by not keeping Italy returnee people in the institutional quarantine. Even then, if we could have examined and isolated everyone, the disease would not have spread so widely.”
After that there was a lack of coordination in medical management as well as testing. Apart from these, new decisions were being made. If these decisions would have implemented properly, we could have a chance to see lesser number of infected-people, he said.
Public Health expert Professor Rashid-e-Mahboob said, not only planning but capability is also required. It’s a new virus, it is not possible for anyone to manage in advance.
He emphasized that, the central problem we have here is the adaptive crisis plan of corona management in proportion to population and demand.
“As a result, if the initiative is not taken in a coordinated and timely manner, it will not be of any use to the people. Sufferings would be increased. Now the test must to be enhanced in larger scale.”
“Coordination in medical management is needed at government and private levels. The private sector is not coming forward because of coronavirus scare. Safety and security must be ensured,” he suggested.
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College & Hospital Director Prof Uttam Kumar Barua said the government has taken several new initiatives. Physicians and nurses have been appointed while private hospitals are also being added to the list of health facilities which would provide treatment to corona patients. However, we have to move forward in a coordinated manner by taking thoughtful decisions to deal with Corona.
“We need to see how private doctors can be utilized in the treatment of corona patients. Corona treatment should be managed in all public and private hospitals. Corona patients should be treated in the same hospital as normal patients.”
Otherwise, there will be no coordination in medical management, he added.
Responding to question regarding corona management in the country, Vice Chancellor of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences Professor Gautam Buddha Das said, “We have been behind the virus from the beginning. The virus has walked ahead of us. We are behind.”
“The disease would not have spread in the community if we could have made the right decision at the right time from the front to prevent infection,” he added.