Rs 466 million sanctioned from PDMA's budget to purchase 168 ventilators

Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund Committee meeting held with Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah in the chair on Friday sanctioned Rs466 million from the budget of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for purchasing 168 ventilators.
It also approved Rs237 million for the procurement of laboratory equipment, and other machinery and medical equipment.
The Chief Secretary, who heads the Fund, informed the meeting that so far Rs1.5 billion have been spent out of a total of Rs3.61 billion collected in the fund.
Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said that the medical equipments are being purchased for the Field Isolation Centres established at Expo Centre and PAF Museum and other hospitals of the province.
He further said that the ventilators would be installed at different government hospitals and directed the Secretary Health to ensure the implementation of the decision. He also directed secretary health to prepare a ventilator installation plan and share the same with NDMA and PDMA.
Chief Secretary further directed the Secretary Health to establish coronavirus wards at Sindh Government Hospitals in Korangi, New Karachi, Qatar Hospital Orangi Town and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Nazimabad.
According to a decision, the dental ward of Dow hospital would also be converted into coronavirus ward. He reviewed the progress on upgrading the ICUs and HDUs in public sector hospitals of province and inspection and audit of the medical equipment being delivered to hospitals.
Director General, Provincial Disaster Management Authority informed that 100 ventilators (previously ordered) will be received by 25th June this year.