COVID-19 is a global cause for youth of the Islamic world to network: President of ECO Science Foundation
In a message to Mustafa(Pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation, President of ECO Science Foundation Manzoor Hussain Soomro emphasized the potential opportunity for young scientists from across the globe, but more so the youth of the Islamic world, to put their heads together, network, and utilize their diversity of disciplines and expertise for a common global treatment of COVID-19.
MSTF Media reports:
“We must take advantage of digital tools for presentations, meetings, workshops, and conversations as well as a variety of media platforms – to respond to different audiences and interests in addressing this mammoth challenge,” he added in the message.
“Global introduction of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) has dramatically disrupted almost all aspects of modern life, including health, education, transportation, finance, and businesses. We are currently facing an unprecedented challenge and global anxiety about the lack of knowledge, scientific evidence, and control over the situation. There are uncertainties over this pandemic because we know very little about this pathogen so far. Much of these uncertainties relate to the unknown nature and behavior of the novel viral pathogen. However, I am very optimistic that science, technology, and human intellect can find a solution to this pandemic,” he said.
He added that over the centuries, biological evolution has continued, challenging human capacities to tackle the threats to human health, and the concept of “survival of the fittest” in nature has been reminded time and again. However, the human experiences in addition to the scientific and technological developments have enhanced the capabilities of the human race. In fact, science has played a critical role in the development of the world, and scientific innovations and inventions have led to significant technological advancements which have continuously improved our lives. There are numerous aspects of life upon which science has a tremendous beneficial impact, including the health sciences.
“Therefore, I am very optimistic that scientists and researchers around the world trying their best to explore the fundamentals of this virus, would eventually come up with some solutions,” he mentioned.
He highlighted the importance of realizing that we are all in this together, and that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not discriminate on the grounds of cast, creed, color, culture, or religion. Therefore, scientific research community must put their heads together; and political leaders must shun their differences and start to cooperate and collaborate in order to overcome the COVID-19. This is the only way forward that we can combat this hidden enemy of humans in the 21st century.
“There is an urgent need for science and scientists to play a much larger role in public education and discourse. Thus, as an immediate action, we all must adhere to the national guidelines of lockdown, maintain safe social/physical distancing to flatten the curve, and help break the spread of this virus,” he asserted.
The Coronavirus outbreak has posed an extremely serious public health risk. Today, the world needs more scientists and researchers to utilize their research and scientific expertise for effective communication on global concerns and challenges. Medical doctors and paramedics all over the globe are playing important roles in treating the patients; some have even laid their lives on the line fighting this pandemic. They must be supported with provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), he explained.
“I am glad to observe that healthcare researchers around the world are working tirelessly to come up with new life-saving medical innovations. I believe, as a short-term goal, we need to ramp up the testing rates because without widespread testing we will not be able to know the extent of the spread and track it, understand the biology and epidemiology of the virus, and contain it. Therefore, researchers, technologists, and engineers must come up with innovative and inexpensive testing kits in addition to essential production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs),” Soomro said.
He went on to say that “in this respect, I strongly feel that the university faculties and students can play a major role by opening up their laboratories and making their expertise available to healthcare services of their countries. The universities invariably have well-trained human resources and well-equipped laboratories, especially when it comes to the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines – the only machines used for testing SARS-CoV-2 virus so far. This is mainly because the quick test kits based on serology/antibodies are not still available, and countries around the world are depending on RT-PCR testing method.”
Thus, the university laboratories and their research students can help to increase testing capacities of their countries which seems to be a major impediment in scaling up the testing for virus presence in asymptomatic populations. The university students quickly trained in COVID-19 protection protocols can also play a greater role in public literacy and creation of awareness about the epidemic, emphasizing particularly the personal hygiene and human-to-human spread of the virus. This would be a great “corporate social responsibility (CSR)” contribution of higher education sector to their nations, he added.
While pursuing medium and long-term objectives, we need to divert substantial resources, both in terms of human and capital resources, towards scientific exploration of this pathogen, so that we will be able to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible and avoid the loss of precious human lives. Unfortunately, there will be no silver bullet for tackling this pandemic; however, I am hopeful that the researchers around the world will come up with possible solutions which incrementally help stop the spread of the virus, mitigate symptoms for those infected, and lower the overall death toll, he said.
“I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) for taking this important initiative to respond to the unprecedented global crisis of COVID-19. I would also like to assure the fellow scientists, researchers, and students that ECOSF will leverage all its possible resources to address this overwhelming pandemic and will continue to serve the interests of the ECO member states, the Islamic world, and beyond,” Soomro concluded
