Lack of coordination, flaws in govt plan on tackling possible coronavirus outbreak: experts

Bureaucratic tangles and lack of coordination among government bodies pose a major challenge in implementing the government plan to tackle a potential coronavirus outbreak.

Also, experts said the plan itself has some flaws and will fall short of containing the spread of the virus.

The national advisory committee to determine the risks of coronavirus was supposed to hold its first meeting on Tuesday. But the key officials spent the entire time talking about how to prevent a potential dengue outbreak, insiders said.

The 31-member committee headed by Health Minister Zahid Maleque has not been able to hold any meeting since it was formed by the health ministry on Sunday.

Regarding the treatment of people who might be tested positive with the virus, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) announced that 10 ICU beds would be readied in a week at Kuwait Bangladesh Moitree Government Hospital in the capital's Uttara. However inadequate, that measure is yet to be taken, officials said.

Besides, the government is yet to allocate a specific budget for coronavirus response. DGHS officials, meanwhile, prefer not to spend from their regular budget.

"We are saying many things, but not getting much done. Since the health ministry does not seem to be particularly keen on taking the measures, many DGHS officials are reluctant to do anything," an official of the directorate told The Daily Star, requesting anonymity.

Moreover, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) of DGHS floated tenders two weeks ago to purchase five thermal scanners for different airports, and land and sea ports. The scanners have not been purchased yet.

Since the novel coronavirus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, it has spread to 90 countries and claimed over 3,000 lives, mostly in China.

Also on Sunday, the health ministry formed 11-member committees led by deputy commissioners in every district, and 10-member committees led by upazila nirbahi officers in every upazila. The committees were formed to implement the government's emergency response plan. The district- and upazila-level committees also are yet to hold a meeting.

"There might be other pressing matters for the government. However, the [coronavirus] issue should be prioritised," said noted virologist Prof Nazrul Islam.

The former vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University said the inclusion of top policymakers in the national committee was a good initiative, but several independent experts and journalists should also be in the committee.

Talking to The Daily Star, Mahmudul Helal Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dinajpur, said they would hold a meeting on Sunday.

A national plan was drawn up mentioning four levels of emergency. The country is on level one, meaning there is no confirmed coronavirus case. If the situation deteriorates and the country has 10 confirmed coronavirus cases, the level would be raised to two, DGHS Director General Prof Abul Kalam Azad said.

In that situation, all the coronavirus patients would be isolated and treated in hospitals.

The emergency level-3 means the number of confirmed cases is more than 10 with some of them infected within the country. If that is the case, Prof Azad said, the government would lock down certain areas, where infections would be reported.

Level-4 means there is an epidemic. "In such a condition, local administrations would lock down more areas having high number of patients and quarantine the suspected cases."

However, three experts told The Daily Star last night that they were skeptical about the government's ability to implement the plan.

"The first task is to prepare the people to execute the plan. Campaigns should be launched immediately. We have not seen any such initiative yet," Prof Muzaherul Huq, founder of the public health foundation of Bangladesh, told The Daily Star.

He added that the hospitals themselves posed the risks of spreading the virus. "This virus is highly contagious. A single coronavirus patient will put other patients of the hospital at risk. It is a faulty and risky plan."

Anyone who is arriving in Bangladesh from any countries with an outbreak must be quarantined for a certain period, he said.

"A makeshift hospital can be set up on Tongi Ijtema ground or at the army stadium."

He urged the government to be more transparent in this situation.

Prof Saif Ullah Munshi, chairman of virology department at BSMMU, said, "Many countries suffered more because they hid information about the outbreak and did not take the outbreak seriously from the beginning. We should not make those mistakes."

Shahnila Ferdousi, line director of Centre for Disease Control at DGHS, yesterday told The Daily Star that the government in last November distributed around 1,000 protective gowns for medical personnel at different hospitals. The DGHS last week wrote to the ministry seeking to purchase 1 lakh more.

Two tourists from Argentina wearing respiratory masks walk while holding a tourist map in Piazza Duomo in Milan yesterday. Italy has closed all schools and universities until March 15 to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus crisis. Photo: AFP

The DGHS also sought more masks, heavy-duty glasses, gloves, and hand sanitisers. She claimed that the stock for the equipment was large enough.

Considering the global situation, experts suggested the government give the issue the highest priority.

Asked about the national committee's progress so far, Prof Azad said, "The inter-ministerial meeting will be held soon."

He added that health ministry held a meeting with the divisional chiefs of the administration.

On preparations at Kuwait Moitree hospital, he said it would be completed by tomorrow.

The Daily Star called Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Health Secretary Ashadul Islam several times, but they didn't answer the phone.

Meanwhile, the High Court yesterday asked the government to inform it by Monday the measures taken prevent a coronavirus outbreak.