A message from frontline women healthcare professionals on COVID-19 pandemic

We, the frontline women healthcare workers, medical students, nurses and doctors of Pakistan, want to share our expert opinion about the COVID-19 pandemic, says a letter issued recently by the Strong Women in Medicine and Healthcare of Pakistan.

The letter says: “In our role as women in science, we are making these recommendations for the public as well as policymakers and government. For all Pakistanis who are struggling financially and emotionally, please understand that COVID19 is real and needs us all to be working alongside each other rather than against each other, to get through these dark times.”

According to the healthcare professionals, this virus has disrupted everyone’s lives and taken away many loved ones. So please:

1. Trust and respect your healthcare providers. We are here to help you while we are risking our lives. These are challenging times and not being able to meet with your loved ones or be near them as they pass is no less than a calamity. The chances of this can be decreased by following the precautions outlined. Please know that your healthcare providers are helping you, risking their health while trying to protect you. Breaking equipment, verbally and physically threatening helps no one.

2. Please follow SOPs and regulations. These are there to help you from getting infected yourself and spreading it to others. Avoid leaving home by possibly using phone and online services. If you must, kindly refrain from overcrowding shops and other public places. Wash your hands before leaving and after returning. Every trip outside is a risk to you and your fellow citizens.

3. Always wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth, when out in public. Do not touch your eyes, face, nose, or mask. Please do not pull your mask down below your nose -- that makes it ineffective. If you have a reusable mask, wash your mask daily.

4. If you have a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, self-isolate- do not hide your diagnosis. Accept and help people with COVID-19 get medical care and safely isolate at home. Do not ostracise or throw them out of their flats. We are all in this together.

5. Believe only authentic sources of information from infectious diseases experts.

6. Accept the fact that the pandemic is real. The patients getting infected are real and this disease can cause death. This is not a hoax. The essential reasons to leave the home are: essential jobs, buying medicine, groceries (if not possible online, assign one person from your household to go every time). We all are in this together.

Of our civil services, police, local and federal governments, we ask for:

1. Re-implementation of a physical lockdown in Pakistan until the new cases start to plateau out. Enable and facilitate e-commerce where possible and for daily wagers, the government should ensure door-to-door supply to them of essentials (instead of crowded distribution areas). The current “smart’ lockdown is just reopening as per usual. Implementation of isolation and distancing SOPs with consistency is the key. Same rules for all. Be firm but respectful. Laws and rules matter only if implemented, without exception.

2. Police officers are on the frontlines and we appreciate their service; please provide them the support to safely implement SOPs.

3. Immediate closure of all shopping malls, shopping centres, beauty parlours, gyms, salons, public transport, trains, etc. Ensure not more than four customers in any shop at any time.

4. Quality check of locally available sanitisers.

5. Public education videos in Urdu and local languages explaining in simple detail the importance of wearing a mask and practicing physical social distancing. With better understanding comes better compliance.

6. Protection and resources for women domestic workers, abuse victims, for whom this lockdown brings so many challenges.

It is only with consistency, knowledge and collaboration with healthcare workers that we can emerge through these challenging times.

The letter has been authored by Dr Sarah Nadeem, Dr Hunaina Shahab, Dr Bisma Imtiaz, Dr Lara Zuberi, Dr Tasnim Ahsan, Dr Imbesat Maheeen Syed, Dr Suwaiba Azim, and Dr Farhala Baloch.

The signatories/endorsers of the letter are Dr Faiqa Cheema, Dr Aysha Habib Khan, Dr Uzma Hasan, Dr Aamna Hassan, Dr Asmara Malik, Dr Saima Ghaus, Dr Nazuk Eraj, Dr Mehreen Kidwai, Dr Lena Jafri, Farah Syed, Dr Mahrukh Asad, Ms. Moti Khan, Dr Imbesat Maheen Syed, Maheen Zaidi, Tooba Ali, Dr Karishma Lal, Dr Sajida Raza, Dr Shahida Bashir, Dr Habiba Thawer, Dr Sana Zeeshan, Dr Afshan Akhtar, Dr Maleeha Naseem, Dr Tamseela Ahmed Murtaza, Dr Shafia Memon, Dr Saniya Khan.