CM chairs cabinet meeting, notes reduction in COVID-19 cases

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Tuesday said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients across province had decreased during the last three days.

Chairing the video-link cabinet meeting, called to discus eradication of coronavirsu at his office here, he expressed satisfaction that daily testing capacity of the Punjab province had reached 12,000.

He said that 19,580 COVID-19 patients had recovered while 3,498 were under treatment in different hospitals of the province.

The number of high dependency units in the hospitals of the provincial metropolis had been increased from 671 to 1,228, he said and added that the number of oxygen-beds in Rawalpindi hospitals was being increased from 227 to 607, whereas 58 more beds had also been arranged for coronavirus patients in Nishtar Hospital Multan, he added.

He that 66 ventilators had been provided to Mayo Hospital Lahore, Nishtar Hospital Multan, Urology Hospital Rawalpindi, Social Security Hospital Lahore and PKLI Lahore, in collaboration with the federal government.

Three PCR machines had also been given to Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur and Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan, he said.

The chief minister said that services of 473 additional doctors, 674 nurses and 211 health professionals had been arranged.

The heirs of employees of grades up to 16 would be given four million rupees.

The heirs of 17 and above grade officers would be given eight million rupees under the "Shaheed Package", he said.

Meanwhile, approval for revision of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for burial of coronavirus patients had been given and the family member could also give 'ghusal' to the deceased while wearing personal protective equipment.

The CM also ordered for continue crackdown on those involved in hoarding of necessary medicines and asked the administration to submit a report in that regard.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission should take action against private hospitals involved in overcharging, he said.

Usman Buzdar also ordered for constituting a committee to monitor matters pertaining to private hospitals.

A comprehensive plan for Eid-ul-Azha should be presented as sacrificial animals' markets would not be established within the city limits, he added.

The chief minister sought a definitive plan for sealing some areas in Lahore at the earliest and decision of sealing of the areas should be implemented after consultation with the stakeholders, he added.

Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, chief secretary, IG Police, ACS (Home) administrative secretaries and commissioner Lahore attended the meeting at the CM Office while military officials, secretary local bodies, secretary transport, secretary Higher Education, secretary Livestock and DG PDMA participated through video link.