Govt implements robust response to counter COVID-19: Jhagra

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health and finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra here Thursday said that provincial Government was planning and implementing a comprehensive and robust response to COVID-19.

This he said in a joint press conference with Advisor information and public relations Ajmal khan Wazir at civil secretariat Peshawar.

Health minister said there was not a single confirm coronavirus case in six districts which includes Lower and Upper Chitral, Lower and Upper Kohistan, Kolai Palas and Battagram.

He said 11 other districts have 10 or less than 10 confirm patients so far. ” Peshawar and Mardan districts are the most hit areas by pandemic”, he added.

He said Peshawar reported 38 new cases in last 24 hours while only 2 confirm cases reported from Mardan in last 7 days.

Taimur Jhagra said Government has made five key interventions to combat COVID-19 in the province include launching of locum tenens system, establishing rapid response teams, procuring essential medical, quarantine facilities and supplies, enhancing testing capacity and facilitating Ehsaas beneficiaries. Provincial Minister said the government was increasing workforce in health sector. “The locum tenens system has been established to engage medical professionals across various fields to address the shortfall in staff because of COVID-19”, he added.

Jhagra said to ensure transparency and efficiency in the system, technology has been used to register, track attendance and release payments to new medical staff inducted in the system.

Jhagra said KP Government has established 200 medical isolation facilities in hospitals with a capacity of 4093 beds for COVID-19 patients. In addition to this 296 quarantine centers are currently operational across the province.

He further said the Government has placed orders of essential medical equipment and supplies worth PKR 3.8 Billion, besides this health Department has already distributed essential Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to hospitals that includes 778,400 latex gloves, 707,924 masks 3 ply, 37,247 and N-95 Masks.

Besides this live dashboard has been establish to assess hospital wise stock in each district.

Provincial health minister said KP government is rapidly enhancing testing capacity expanded from 350 tests per day last week to 540 tests per day this week. He said that augmentation in public sector, initialization of new labs & engagement with private sector; the Government has the potential to increase capacity up to 2,000 per day by end of this month.

Jhagra said the government was aware of traders sufferings and economic situation of the province. “Government is establishing strategy and SOPs with consultation of traders to open economic activities in the province” he added

On the occasion advisor information and public relation Ajmal Khan Wazir said the Government’s social distancing measures have been effective in controlling the spread of the virus, however, more cooperation is required from the public in this regard over the next two weeks.

He lauded the services of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health workers along with media persons working in front line. He said Chief Minster Mahmood Khan himself monitoring the arrangments and being briefed by all concerned departments on daily basis.