CM reviews measures to cope with coronavirus

LAHORE, Mar 17 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said the Punjab government was fully aware of coronavirus threat and all the administrative arrangements for dealing with it had been completed.

There was a complete liaison with the federal government over it and the government would not take any step which created panic and fear.

He was presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Standing Committee to review measures to cope with coronavirus. A special committee had been constituted under the supervision of Punjab Finance Minister to review the effects of coronavirus on economy.

Whereas, in order to deal with Coronavirus, committees would also be set up at district level under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners comprising members of civil society.

The Chief Minister directed to review the production of masks, safety kits and sanitizers at local level. The meeting was informed that NDMA would provide 10,000 safety suits within a week while 1,000 safety kits had reached and 5000 more kits would soon be supplied.

The CM said that all-out measures would be taken for the safety of doctors and paramedical staff in the hospitals. Safety kits and masks were being provided to the doctors and paramedical staff in the hospitals.

Available resources should be utilized to cope with coronavirus. Those involved in masks-hoarding would be dealt with an iron hand, he said, adding that 90 000 masks had been recovered during operations against hoarders in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Buzdar said that quarantine would be established for corona affected patients in labour colony Multan, adding, hostels rooms of educational institutions would be used for isolation.

He further directed that medical check-up of passengers, arriving from other provinces should be conducted at bus stands.

He directed that a helpline should be established for providing awareness about coronavirus at district and central level.

The briefing was given about precautionary measures being taken by the government to save from coronavirus and the participants of the meeting gave their recommendations in this regard.

Provincial Ministers Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Hashim Jawan Bakhat, Muhammad Akhtar Malik, Member Provincial Assembly Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, SMBR, secretaries of concerned departments, Commissioner Lahore Division, DG PDMA, head of Special Monitoring Unit and high officials attended the meeting. Secretary SH&ME and Secretary P&SH attended the meeting through video link from Commissioner Office Multan.