Sardar Usman Buzdar’s government has set up Corona Care Centre at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI). Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in spite of holiday has paid a surprise visit to Corona Care Centre at PKL.
He inspected advance arrangements being made for the treatment of patients at Corona Care Centre and also reviewed availability of beds over there. Usman Buzdar while talking on this occasion said that Punjab government has undertaken all necessary measures for the treatment of corona patients and setting up 30-bedded Corona Care Centre at PKLI is a major link to the advance arrangements being made for the treatment of coronavirus patients. He observed best arrangements being made for outdoor and indoor patients at Corona Care Centre while three floors have also been allocated for the possible corona patients at PKLI. The total number of beds at three floors of PKLI is seventy five, he added. He further maintained that in case of any emergency or need there is also scope of five hundred additional beds to be arranged at PKLI.
Adopting preventive measures in order to save people from coronavirus is an ample proof of an advance excellent planning being made, he lauded. He further stated that Punjab government is utilizing all possible resources for preventing people from the dangers of coronavirus. We are also undertaking all necessary steps in order to save people of the province from the hazards of coronavirus, he stressed. Strict implementation is being made on the instructions being issued by the Health Advisory for prevention from coronavirus. CM was also given detailed briefing about possible medical facilities to be provided and treatment of coronavirus patients. Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Chief Secretary, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Secretary Information and PKLI senior doctors were also present on this occasion.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Major (r) Azam Suleman Khan and Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid have said that all the stakeholders in the society would have to play their role in efforts to combat coronavirus, besides strictly adhering to the advisory on precautionary measures so that every citizen could be saved from this disease.
They expressed these views while presiding over an emergent meeting on coronavirus, at Camp Office here on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Home Momin Agha, IG Police Shoaib Dastgir, secretaries of health and food departments, commissioner Lahore and Bahawalpur whereas as all other divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, regional police officers and district police officers joined the meeting through video conferencing.
Additional Chief Secretary Home Momin Agha told the meeting that section 144 has been imposed for three weeks across the province to prohibit hoarding and profiteering of hand sanitizers, opening of all private and public educational institutes, marriage/banquet halls and marquees, holding of examinations, religious congregation, public gatherings, and sports festivals.
Chief Secretary Major (r) Azam Suleman Khan directed that all educational institutes would be kept closed and presence of teaching staff there would not be allowed as well. The meeting decided to close all parks, zoos and recreational places for public. It was also decided that buses, which brought pilgrims from Iran and other areas, would be disinfected, relatives of pilgrims would be given awareness about precautionary measures through videos and help of Ulema would be sought for this purpose.
All the divisional commissioners were asked to allocate one hospital in each division for medical treatment of coronavirus patients and make arrangements for quarantine and isolation there. Dr Yasmin Rashid suggested providing kits to private labs by the government to give people facility of coronavirus test at affordable rate. She maintained that the health department has established a helpline 1033 to provide information to general public.
IG Punjab Shoaib Dastgir told the meeting that his force is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the administration. ”Our Jawans would not budge an inch in the hour of need,” he added. He briefed the Health Minister and Chief Secretary that training sessions in police training centres and departmental promotion exams have been cancelled throughout the province and parades of jawans have been banned in all police lines. He mentioned that lectures for jawans to enhance awareness about coronavirus continue under supervision of health experts in police lines. CCPO Lahore Zulfiqar Hameed told the meeting that a quarantine centre for police employees is being established at Kala Shah Kaku to face any eventuality.
Issuing directions to officers, the Chief Secretary said that wedding ceremonies within the boundary walls of houses are allowed. The meeting also decided to take stern action against the hoarders of food items, besides launching a media campaign to enhance awareness among people about coronavirus so that citizens could save themselves from this disease by following precautionary measures.
Separately, Usman Buzdar has directed that pilgrims arriving from other provinces to Punjab should be provided with best facilities and also be properly looked after. Usman Buzdar directed Provincial and district administration to leave no stone unturned in properly taking care and looking after the pilgrims. Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners should personally monitor the affairs of providing best facilities to the pilgrims as they should not face any trouble or inconvenience.
