LAHORE– The Punjab government has decided to send recommendations to the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) for reopening shrines under SOPs in four major cities.
At the outset of the fourth wave of coronavirus, Punjab Auqaf department’s 189 shrines in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan were closed in the light of the NCOC guidelines.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Provincial Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid at the Civil Secretariat here on Tuesday. The Chief Secretary Punjab and all divisional commissioners attended the meeting through video link while the Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Primary Health, Secretary Auqaf, CCPO Lahore and officers concerned were also present.
The meeting reviewed the situation of the corona pandemic, medical facilities in hospitals, vaccination campaign and decided to seek permission from NCOC for vaccination of students between the ages of 16 to 18 years.
Addressing the meeting, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the number of cases was increasing during the fourth wave of corona. She said that according to the data, 88 percent of the patients admitted in the hospitals are unvaccinated and the patients who have been given even a single dose are in a better condition than the patients who have not been inoculated.
“Statistics show that the vaccine is very effective against corona,” she maintained. She said that the federal government has provided 11 oxygen generators to the Punjab Health Department for hospitals in the province.
The Chief Secretary directed the divisional commissioners of Lahore, Faisalabad and Sargodha to expedite the vaccination drive and said that vaccination was the only solution to get rid of the coronavirus.
He said that the target of administering 5 lac vaccines per day was achieved through micro plans, adding that this number must be maintained in all cases.
He said that all possible steps would be taken to protect the health and lives of the people. He directed that data entry related to vaccines should be ensured on a daily basis.
Secretary Primary Health Sara Aslam gave a detailed briefing to the meeting. She said that 292,195 people were vaccinated on Monday. She said that during the fourth wave of corona, 2122 patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals at present while 274 patients are in critical condition.
The Secretary Auqaf told the meeting that there are 546 shrines across the province that are being administered by the department and 189 of these shrines in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan were closed in the light of NCOC guidelines at the outset of the fourth wave.–PRESS RELEASE
