CM reviews coronavirus situation during his Charsadda visit

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, on Tuesday visited district Charsadda to review corona situation and measures taken by the district administration to effectively deal with the prevailing situation.

During his trip, the Chief Minister visited Quarantine Center established at Sports Complex Charsadda, dedicated Isolation wards set up at Women and Children Hospital Rajjar and Ihsas Cash Distribution Point at Government High School Rajjar. Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Sultan Khan, Special Assistant to CM on Minerals Arif Ahmadzai, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Kazim Niaz and elected members of National and Provincial Assemblies from Charsadda also accompanied the Chief Minister.

While briefing the Chief Minister regarding the prevailing situation of corona in the district and the arrangements made by the District Administration, Deputy Commissioner Adeel Shah told that there were total 24 confirmed and 146 suspected cases in Charsadda, 102 tests have been reported negative whereas results of twenty others are still awaited adding that no death case has yet been reported in the district.

He further informed that isolation wards had been spared for corona patients in five different hospitals of the district while quarantine centers have been set up in nine different locations with a total capacity of 224 rooms equipped with all the required facilities as per the standard protocols. The Chief Minister was further informed that besides a 24/7 Control Room at district level, Rapid Response Teams have been raised at all Tehsil and Union Council level to respond to any emergency situation anywhere in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner also informed that 2630 people with foreign travel history had been traced and contacted across the district and except one, all of them are clear with regard to Corona Virus. Regarding wheat and flour stock, it was informed that sufficient stocks of both the items are available in the district and there is no shortage of any kind of food items in the district. 

While talking to media on this occasion, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said that the government was taking all possible measures to provide maximum relief to the vulnerable segments of society effected due to lockdown and social distancing measures in the prevailing situation adding that under the Ihsas Emergency Cash Program, almost 2.2 Million deserving families of the province are being provided a cash amount of Rs. 12000 each to mitigate their sufferings.

“The cash amount being distributed under the program is only meant for the deserving families and it will be given to those deserving and entitled families only” the Chief Minister stated and made it clear that no one else would be allowed to retain even a single penny out of this amount and if anyone was found involved in such practice, would be dealt with iron hands.

Touching upon the latest situation of corona testing capacity in the province Mahmood Khan said that there was a capacity of 500 tests per day adding that steps are being taken on emergency footings to increase the testing capacity to 2000 per day.

Mahmood Khan appreciated the role of Health Workers, Civil Administration, Army, Police and other relevant bodies in the fight against corona and urged upon the public to extend maximum cooperation to the administration with regard to the implementation of its measures regarding social distancing saying that all such measures were meant just to protect the lives of people. He maintained that the government’s efforts to contain the outbreak of the pandemic would not yield the desired results without the support and cooperation of the general public.

Later on the Chief Minister paid a visit to Ihsaas Emergency Cash Distribution Point set up at Government High School Rajjar to review the cash distribution process and arrangements made therein to facilitate the people. Mahmood Khan express his satisfaction on the overall measures and arrangements put in place by the district administration to deal with the prevailing situation and hoped that the district administration would further strengthen its efforts to effectively deal with the situation.