Why is Pakistan vulnerable to COVID-19 associated morbidity and mortality? A scoping review

The scoping review was undertaken to outline the vulnerabilities of Pakistan's public health and healthcare system, which put the population at increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated morbidity and mortality. The major electronic databases were searched using both "text words" and "thesaurus terms," focusing on viral infections, COVID-19 and healthcare systems in Pakistan. The content of the selected articles was analyzed by using thematic approach. Out of the total 171 potentially relevant citations, 24 articles were included in the data synthesis. We found that the recent COVID-19 outbreak is a major threat to Pakistan's public health and healthcare system, and the country is not in a position to control spread of disease and provide required standards of care deemed necessary by the World Health Organization. A number of intertwined reasons that expose the Pakistani population at increased risk of COVID-19 associated morbidity and mortality, include public related demurrals, healthcare workforce related demurrals, organizational and regulatory voids, and travel patterns. To cope with the upsurge of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the regulators need to re-examine and recognize deficiencies in the healthcare system, and thereafter reinforce core capacities in workforce and monetary resources, surveillance, laboratory services, and hospital preparedness for isolation and ventilation of patients.