30 Pakistani gynaecologists lost their lives to COVID-19 since pandemic: officials

• SOGP officials say gynaecologists put their lives at risk even if pregnant women are infected with COVID-19.
• Say hundreds of surgeries performed on pregnant women to deliver babies since pandemic.
• Complain that services of obstetricians and gynaecologists not acknowledged.

A total of 30 Pakistani gynaecologists have lost their lives to coronavirus while treating pregnant women and assisting in deliveries since the start of the pandemic, The News reported, citing the office-bearers of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan (SOGP).

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination stats suggest that 174 healthcare professional and workers, including 103 doctors have so far died due to coronavirus, while the Pakistan Medical Association claims the number of doctors losing their lives to the virus to be over 250.

The SOGP officials, while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, said that gynaecologists never deny examination and treatment to any pregnant woman, not even if she is infected with COVID-19.

They said that gynaecologists have performed hundreds of surgeries on pregnant women to save the lives of the mothers and their babies.

The SOGP officials complained that the services of obstetricians and gynaecologists are not being highlighted or acknowledged despite the risk they have put their lives in during the pandemic.

SOGP President Prof Dr Razia Korejo and Prof Dr Sadiah Ahsan Pal said that to pay tribute to their fallen colleagues and highlight their services, a session will be conducted at the association’s 18th Biennial International Scientific Conference, which will be held in Karachi from February 25 to 27.

“Covid-19 — A Continuing Challenge for Women’s Health is the theme of the conference, where issues related to obstetrics, maternal & infant mortality, gynaecology, contraception & family planning, patient safety and other matters will be discussed,” said Dr Sadiah, who heads the SOGP’s scientific committee.

She said that despite thousands of obstetricians and gynaecologists serving in Pakistan, 25,000 to 30,000 women die annually due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, adding that the conference will also provide scientific solutions to reduce maternal & infant mortality rates in the country.

“Dozens of experts from entire Pakistan as well as abroad are attending the conference to present research papers on different aspects of obstetrics and gynaecology,” she said, adding that Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho will formally inaugurate the conference on February 25.

Dr Razia said the conference will play an important role in extending gynaecological services in the country, adding that they are going to bridge the gap between media and gynaecologists, while sessions will also be held on infertility, assisted reproduction, disorders of sexual development and reproductive endocrinology.

Sindh reports 877 new cases

The novel coronavirus claimed four more lives in Sindh during the 24 hours, raising the death toll to 8,013 in the province.

In addition to four deaths, 877 new cases emerged when 11,496 tests were conducted, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said in his daily COVID-19 situation report on Thursday.

So far 7,804,667 tests had been conducted across the province, of which 559,548 came back positive. As many as 507,559 or 90.7% of them had recovered, including 210 overnight.

The CM said that currently, 43,976 patients were under treatment -- 43,702 in-home isolation, 18 at isolation centres, 256 at different hospitals and 20 on ventilators.

Out of the 877 new cases, 429 were detected in Karachi; 201 from District Malir; 72 from District South; 63 from District Korangi; 54 from District East; 20 from District Central and 19 from District West. Hyderabad reported 287 cases, Thatta 19, Matiari 15, Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan 13 each, Mirpurkhas 12, Sanghar and Shikarpur 11 each, Sujawal and Jamshoro eight each, Umrkot seven, Badin, Kashmore and Sanghar six each, Ghotki and Larkana four each, Shaheed Benazirabad three, Qamber two, Dadu, Khairpur and NausheroFeroze one each.

Sharing the vaccination data, the CM said that in total 45,087,495 vaccine doses had been administered which constituted 83.53% of the vaccine-eligible population.