ICT withdraws order of making OPDs operational

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has withdrawn the order it issued to government and private sector hospitals in the city to make their outdoor patient departments (OPDs) operational.

Like other parts of the country, the ICT Administration, on March 24, suspended OPD services in both public and private sector hospitals following spread of the coronavirus in the city.

According to a notification issued by ICT administration, the orders issued by the district magistrate on March 9, wherein OPDs of hospitals in Islamabad were allowed to become operational was hereby held in abeyance with immediate effect till further notice.

Meanwhile, sources said the heads of the departments (HODs) of all departments of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) during a meeting recommended extending the closure of OPDs for another one month to reduce risk of spread of the COVID-19.

The HoDs and consultants said in the meeting that the hospital emergency was working properly to provide healthcare to serious patients being received there.

The administration also closed Kohsar block of Pakistan Secretariat after a suspected case of coronavirus was found among the employees of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources.

The ministry will be closed from April 14 to 15 and the employees of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis have been instructed to remain at home.

Despite lockdown, huge rush of motorists was observed on the roads of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The number of motorists is increasing day by day on various roads, which may further deteriorate the situation.

The ICT Administration and the Punjab government imposed lockdown on March 23 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak to restrict people to their homes and also asked people not to come out of their homes unnecessarily.

Only public transport did not come on road as the government has imposed ban on its movement.

The number of coronavirus cases rose in the federal capital on Thursday to 131 bringing the country's tally of the COVID-19 infections to 5,374, according to the official data.

According to the official data, Punjab has 2,594 cases followed by Sindh 1,411, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 744, Balochistan 230, Gilgit-Baltistan 2224, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 40.

Till the filling of this report, 1,095 coronavirus patients have so far recovered, and 93 have died across the country.

However, like other parts of the country, majority of the shops in the major markets in both the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi including Aabpara, Karachi Company, Peshawar Mor, F-6 and F-7, I-8, G-10 Markaz, Commercial Market, Raja Bazaar, Pindora as well as several other smaller markets remained close.

Shops including medical stores/pharmacies, bakeries, meat, milk, and grocery stores remained open.