COVID-19: Pakistani doctors warn of 'fatal outcome' if mosques remain open during coronavirus pandemic

Dubai: Some senor Pakistani doctors have warned of "mayhem" and fatal outcome following the government’s decision to keep the mosques open for congregational prayers during Ramadan.

In a letter written to the government, the doctors have urged Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Dr Arif Alvi to review their decision allowing congregational prayers to be held in mosques.

The letter was also addressed to the ulemas (religious scholars) and business community. While thanking the government and ulema for developing a consensus over the issue, the letter listed the medical community’s "strong reservations" over the decision to allow prayer congregations.

The confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday jumped to 10,070 with 212 deaths and 2,156 recoveries.

President's decision

Pakistan President Dr Alvi had allowed the opening of the mosques for congregational prayers after a meeting with religious scholars early this week.

He said that neither the state machinery nor clerics would stop citizens from visiting mosques as the government accepted almost all demands of the clerics related to the holding of Friday, Taraweeh and daily congregational prayers — with the condition of social distancing and other precautionary measures.

The decision came as a surprise to many as the country is grappling with the COVID-19 spread with constant increase in number of cases and fatalities.

Imran Khan's warning

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday warned of "strict action" if the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed upon between the government and clerics for congregational prayers amid the COVID-19 pandemic were not followed at mosques during Ramadan.

“I urge people to pray at home, but if they want to go to mosques, they will have to follow these 20 points [in the government’s agreement with clerics],” the premier said in televised address to the nation accompanied by members of his economic and health care teams.

“If these points are not followed and there is a viral outbreak at a mosque, we will be left with no other choice but to take action.”

Replying to a question about why the government has decided to allow congregational prayers at mosques amid the viral outbreak whereas other Muslim countries haved decided against it, the prime minister said that Pakistan is an independent nation where people used their independent minds to make decisions on national issues.

Doctors' fear

However, the senior Pakistani doctors think otherwise, and do not agree with the government’s decision allowing congregational prayers in mosques.

In their appeal, the doctors warned that with mosques across the country being filled predominantly by people over the age of 50, the risk of the virus spreading is high.

It said videos that surfaced in the past 48 hours had shown that more than 80 per cent of the people attending prayers in mosques were mostly in their 60s and 70s.

“Clearly, this has resulted in the violation of the first and foremost principle of preventing the spread of the virus in the most vulnerable group” of elderly people, stated the letter, which has been endorsed by the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA).

“With Ramadan approaching, we would understandably expect higher number of namazis (worshippers) attending the prayers. Moreover, long Taraweeh prayers and waiting times will lead to prolonged gatherings. It is all but certain that this will cause significant mayhem, as the mosques practising social distancing will only be able to accommodate 20-25pc of the regular namazis, which will further worsen the situation,” the letter added.

Conflicts

According to the letter, the mismanagement could also result in conflicts between worshippers, mosque administrations and law-enforcement agencies, as observed in some areas of Karachi recently, Dawn reported.

The doctors explained that increased exposure to the virus raises the likelihood of getting infected and, as a consequence, of complications and death. “We fear that allowing congregational prayers in larger number in our mosques may contribute to such fatal outcomes,” the letter stated.

It expressed concerns that all of the above issues will have the combined effect of jeopardising the "reputation of Islam and that of our ulema" and will lead to “unwanted loss of lives”.

Fort of Islam

Noting that Pakistan is considered as a “fort of Islam”, the letter said that the existence of the Muslim ummah is closely linked to the strength and progress of Pakistan.

“In these circumstances, if COVID-19 disease becomes an epidemic in Pakistan and the government loses control of its management in the country, it will not just be a failure of Pakistan as a country but it may have substantial unwanted and unforeseen effects on the whole Muslim ummah,” the letter said.

Pakistanis are not immune

The medics also clarified that Pakistanis are not more immune to this virus than the rest of the world, saying data released by the UK’s National Health Service had shown that a vast majority of health care staff who died there due to COVID-19 comprised Asians, including many Muslims.

They observed that the “social fibre” of the Pakistani society is one where “mismanagement, indiscipline and not following or obeying the rules is predominantly common [and] where [even] educated people do not follow the day-to-day traffic rules (for example) and miscommitment in our dealings is a norm”.

With such habits and behavioural patterns, it is “almost impossible” for ulema, mosque managements and the administration to make people abide by the conditions mentioned in the consensus document of the government and the ulema, especially in densely-populated areas of the country “where people are generally not educated and unable to comprehend the consequences of such violations”, their letter stated.

Among the signatories of the letter are Dr Faisal Mahmood, Head of the Aga Khan University Hospital’s (AKUH) Infectious Diseases Department, and Indus Health Network CEO Dr Abdul Bari Khan, as well as research-active consultant Dr Khurum Khan, who trained at the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust London.

Dr Muhammad Shamvil Ashraf, an oncologist who is the executive director at Indus Health Network and opened The Children Cancer Hospital (CCH), is also part of the doctors who penned the letter.

Prof Dr Syed Razi Muhammad, the managing trustee at Muhammad Medical College in Mirpurkhas and an editorial board member of the Joint Committee of Royal Colleges of Surgeons of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow & Dublin, was also included in the letter, as were Dr Saad Niaz of South City Hospital, Dr Abdul Basit Rao of Malir Medical Services, Dr M Hanif Chatni of Patel Hospital, and Dr Mughis Sheerani, a neurologist at the AKUH Clifton Medical Services.