Reza Mahmud :
National Committee formed to find ways to contain the spread of the virus expressed their anxiety over partial opening of garment factories in the country.
It, however, made some recommendations how to combat against the virus epidemic. It also suggested how to contain spread of coronavirus when the garments and other business were opened.
The 17 member committee formed on April 19 has been divided into several sub- committees including ‘lab affairs panel, ‘epidemiology affairs panel’ and so on, said sources.
The committee adopted several recommendations for garment factories and improvement of policies of laboratories.
Members of the committee said, they asked the government to ensure social distancing policy, to maintain hygienic system in work places and workers residences.
“Outbreak of the coronavirus is serious in the country now. In this moment the garment factories are partially reopened. It is a risky matter. The committee has suggested to the government to ensure all health systems in garment factories,” said a member of the committee preferring anonymity.
He said the committee suggested the government to give strict directives to the authorities of those factories to set their swing machines and other equipment maintaining social distancing measures.
“The machines should keep minimum in three feet distanced. So that the workers can follow the social distancing system easily,” he said.
The committee also suggested to distribute factories’ work in many shifts so that the workers gathering can be reduced and the risk of violating social distancing also can be curbed.
“Ministries said that they decided to reopen some apparel factories partially amid the coronavirus fear as it is the main industry to earn most foreign currency in our country. In this situation we suggested to maintain social distancing and strict monitoring there under the surveillances of health department,” one member of the committee said also on the condition of not to be named.
He said the factory authorities should disinfect the workers every day before entering their work places spraying disinfectors.
Wash rooms of those factories are used by mass people every day. As such those should be cleaned with bleaching powder mixed water frequently, within hours, the suggestion pointed.
It also recommended to ensure adequate monitoring about every worker’s health condition.
If anyone of those fall in sick should be taken to health care clinic sharply.
“If anyone of those detected as Covid-19 positive, should be sent to designated hospitals and all of his colleagues should be sent tol quarantine and to testing labs,” the members said.
They said all of those recommendations should be followed strictly to contain the spread of coronavirus through the densely populated working places.
The committee also made several recommendations to ensure adequate protective equipment for doctors, nurses and other health workers to improve health services to combat against the spreading of coronavirus in the country.
Professor Nazrul Islam of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Chairman of ‘Lab Affairs Panel, told The New Nation, “The coronavirus situation in the country is worse. The government is honestly working to contain the spread of the virus. We are finding out the necessary measures.”
He said this virus outbreak is new. So, the lab facilities have to be improved after equipped with adequate machines and tools.
“Some of the labs where the PCR machines are established are new. The old facilities are workable but the new ones have to be improved,” he said.
We recommended to establish bio safety level 2 for those labs,” Professor Nazrul Islam said.
Besides, the cabinet used for sample tests was suggested to get changed by cabinet 2, he added.
“The committee sat in a meeting and will meet again on Monday (today),” Professor Nazrul Islam said.
The government formed the ‘national technical advisory committee’ headed by Mohammod Shahidullah, a neonatologist to find ways to improve the coronavirus health services to contain the spread of the virus which created huge threat in the country.
Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR)`has been made the secretary of the committee.
Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora could not be contacted despite several times efforts.
Mohammad Asadul Islam, Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, not received the phone calls.
