LAHORE– Punjab declared a medical emergency in the province in view of the coronavirus threat here on Thursday.
Addressing a joint press conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat Shahra-i-Quaid-e-Azam, Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that the Cabinet Committee met earlier Thursday under the chair of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and the after extensive discussions and deliberations, the Committee has decided to announce Medical Emergency in Punjab.
Present at the Joint press conference were Minister for Information and Culture Fayyaz Chohan, Law Minister Raja Basharat, Minister for Food Samiulah, Minister for Energy Akhtar Malik, MPA Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, Chief Secretary Major (Retd) Azam Suleman, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Captain (Retd) Usman Younis and Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Barrister Nabeel Awan and other officials.
Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that Chief Minister reviewed the situation emerging out of increasing number of Corona cases in the region and the status of preparedness, at facilities in Punjab. The Chief Minister has said that all possible measures must be adopted to stop the spread of Corona in Punjab.
She said the coordination among departments have been enhanced and the help of the Home Department, screening process at airports have been intensified.
The Minister said. “The hospitals have been put on alert. The Isolation and Quarantine facilities have been developed at the 400-bedded Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute, 250-bedded Tayyab Erdgon Hospital in Muzaffargarh and 250-bedded Institute of Urology in Rawalpindi. The required number of ventilators and necessary supplies have been provided to other key hospitals.”
Dr. Yasmin Rashid further said: “Most mortality have been reported in Italy so far and the diseases is spreading to other countries as well. A high-level committee under the chair Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Nabeel Awan is monitoring the situation every 24 hours.
“I request the public to observe safety precautions. i.e. hand washing, avoid handshakes, avoid touching face and limiting unnecessary movement. The travelers coming from the endemic countries must get themselves tested.”
The Chief Secretary Punjab is in contact with the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners. An awareness campaign has already been started in Punjab. Doctors are on alert in Punjab are we are trying to educate people about the mode of transmission and the precautionary measures.”
To a question, the Minister said that rumours have been spread about the Medical Teaching Institutions Act and Law Minister has met delegations of protesters and has addressed their concerns as well.
