Various initiatives to tackle the coronavirus pandemic have slowed down, some have even come to a halt.
The government has made changes in certain key posts of the health ministry and health directorate, but this has failed to step up the pace of preventing and controlling the pandemic, experts have said.
They apprehend this resigned attitude can increase the risks of the virus transmission.
The government cannot give an accurate account of how many coronavirus cases there have been in the country so far. However, a survey of IEDCR and icddr,b estimates that 9 per cent of the people in Dhaka City have been infected by coronavirus.
No tangible efforts of the health ministry to tackle the pandemic are visible. From 12 August even the health bulletin has been stopped, depriving the public of the regular live updates. The state of the pandemic in the country is unclear. A survey was carried out in this regard, but the government is not publishing the full report. The people are in a dilemma over going out, going to office and so on.
A government official involved from the beginning in the work to tackle the pandemic, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity on Friday, said that most of the officials who have been recently transferred to the health ministry or directorate in a move to reshuffle the health sector, have no experience in public health. They are overwhelmed by the task of preventing and controlling the transmission of the virus. Some are even apprehensive of starting work.
This is the sixth month since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. Within this span of time there have been changes in key posts of health sector, including the secretary of the health services division, additional secretary, director general of the health directorate, director (hospitals) and director (planning).
The government cannot give an accurate account of how many coronavirus cases there have been in the country so far. However, a survey of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the International Centre of Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) estimates that 9 per cent of the people in Dhaka City have been infected by coronavirus. That would mean over 1.6 million.
So far 1,341,648 people have been able to get tested for coronavirus. Of these, 274,525 have tested positive. And of them, 3,625 have died. Around 2000 people have died with coronavirus symptoms.
Acting director general of the Directorate General Health Services (DGHS) Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “We are trying to carry out the directorate’s work speedily.”
Work stalled
In accordance to the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s directives, DGHS prepared the ‘Bangladesh Pandemic Response Plan.’ This document needs to be regularly updated. After this plan was approved by the health ministry in July, it was sent on to the Economic Relations Division (ERD). However, till now no strategy paper has been drawn up to implement the plan and no meeting has been held on the matter either.
DGHS has 10 committees to supervise work on tackling the pandemic. These committees would hold meetings five days a week to consolidate coordination of the various activities. These meetings have more or less come to a halt. Since Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid took over as the DGHS acting DG on 26 July, only one meeting of these committees has been held.
At the beginning of the outbreak, there had been much talk about lockdowns in various parts of the country, particularly the cities, to bring the spread of the virus under control. A new committee was formed for the purpose. Directives were sent to the civil surgeons of the various districts. But presently nothing is being done about identifying risk zones and locking these areas down.
There is also a lot of discussion about the less number of sample tests being carried out in the country. There are presently 87 centres in the country where samples are collected for coronavirus tests. In proportion to the population, around 24,000 samples should be tested per day, but it has not been possible to test 20,000 samples even on one single day.
Data over the past three weeks indicates the virus transmission is no longer on an upward curve. It has flattened or is going downwards somewhat. But there is no scope for complacence.Professor Shahidullah, convenor of the national technical advisory committee for coronavirus
Many feel that if rapid tests were approved, the number of tests would increase. DGHS and health ministry sources said that the directorate prepared a draft paper regarding rapid tests and sent to the ministry on 9 July. After 10 days, the ministry formed an expert committee headed by professor Liaqat Ali was formed to give its opinion on the matter within 10 working days.
The expert committee submitted the sample testing expansion plan along with its views to the health services division in 4 August. No decision has been taken on the matter so far. There has been no news of any initiative to bring down the number of coronavirus-related deaths either.
Then there is the unsettled matter to determining the costs of coronavirus treatment at private hospitals, particularly for oxygen. DGHS had several meetings in this regard with the owners of private hospitals and clinics, but to no avail. These discussions have also ground to a halt.
With such important tasks remaining at a standstill, the number of sample collections and tests are not being increased. Very little contact testing is being carried out too. Neither has the government taken any strong initiative for isolation or quarantine. An expert said, in several countries there has been a second wave of transmission. Bangladesh should be alert about this.
Member of DGHS’ public health advisory committee, Abu Jamil Faisal, told Prothom Alo, “The government is saying nothing about following the rules of hygiene or maintaining social distancing. If there is no risk of infection, then the government should clearly talk about returning to a ‘new normal’ life.
Meetings
Last week health minister Zahid Maleque said the matter of the vaccine trial would be decided upon at a meeting to be held with the prime minister this week. The meeting may be held today or tomorrow.
Like people all over the world, the people of Bangladesh are looking towards a vaccine. Preparations have been undertaken by icddr,b for the trial of Chinese company Sinovac’s vaccine. The Bangladesh Medical Research Council has given its approval on principle for the trial.
The health minister told the cabinet committee for purchase on 12 August that if a positive decision about the Chinese vaccine is taken at the meeting with the prime minister, then discussions will be held on how many persons in Bangladesh will carry out the trial on, how much will China pay Bangladesh for the purpose, under what conditions will China give Bangladesh the vaccine, and so on.
Speaking about the US and UK vaccines, the health minister said, “We are holding talks with these companies too. We have a meeting with the prime minister Sheikh Hasina next week. It will then be decided about whether contracts will be signed with these companies, if advance payment is to be made to them and other details.”
A public health expert, on condition of anonymity, said, the government’s stand regarding the vaccine is not clear. They are talking about paying advance to other companies. Then they are asking money from China to carry out the vaccine trial. If they take money from China for the trial to be carried out, there is the risk that this will have an impact on the trial results.
Positive recommendations
An initiative has been undertaken to cancel the fees for coronavirus detection tests. The national technical advisory committee spoke in favour of abolishing these fees. The committee said that if the sample is to be collected from home, then a Tk 300 fee is to be paid, otherwise the testing is to be free.
In the meantime, the advisory committee has said that antigen and antibody tests must begin soon. Sources say that the issue of test fees and antibody-antigen tests will be discussed at the meeting with the prime minister, along with the matter of the vaccines. The head of the committee, however, refused to speak on the matter.
Convenor of the national technical advisory committee for coronavirus, formed by the health ministry, professor Shahidullah, told Prothom Alo, “Data over the past three weeks indicates the virus transmission is no longer on an upward curve. It has flattened or is going downwards somewhat. But there is no scope for complacence.”
This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir