Online national survey launched for coronavirus tested people

KARACHI: The coronavirus case count is increasing at an alarming rate across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global outbreak that has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO and is considered the biggest public health challenge the world has faced in recent memory.

The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), in collaboration with the Health Research Advisory Board (HealthRAB) and the National Institute of Health, launched an online survey for the people tested for COVID-19 with PCR in Pakistan.

This online survey aims to understand the symptomatology of this disease in relation to age, gender, and comorbidities, course of disease with its complications, the psychological impact of the disease on various age groups, and ultimate outcomes of the disease.

The launch ceremony was graced by the virtual presence of Prof Afzal Mian President, PIMA, who stressed the importance of research during the pandemic, and said that since the outbreak, thousands of research studies had been conducted to understand and control the spread of this virus.

He added that there is a lot about this pandemic that is still unknown, and a lot of research is required to fully understand this virus. He appreciated the PIMA, HealthRAB, and NIH for their efforts in launching this survey.

Dr Zakiuddin Ahmed General Secretary, HealthRAB, and Dr Naveed Butt, Member, Central Executive Body, PIMA Women Wing, highlighted the survey's main objectives.

Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan, Senior Scientific Officer, NIH, shared the current COVID-19 statistics, including the number of cases and the number of PCR tests done, and testing facilities in Pakistan.

Prof Amtullah Zarreen, Ex-President, PIMA, and Member, Central Executive Body, PIMA Women Wing, discussed the association of COVID-19 with pregnancy, and Prof Abdul Basit (Vice Chairman, HealthRAB) explained the impact of comorbidities on COVID-19 along with the treatment options.

At the end of the press conference, the guests launched the survey, followed by a Q&A session.

-MN Report