F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC) via video-link.
Over the matter of rising COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grave concerns over negligence on the implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He also called for initiating a robust public awareness campaign to ensure the implementation of corona SOPs.
The prime minister directed all the provincial governments not only to mobilize the public about implementation of corona SOPs but also ensure the effective role of district administration in that respect.
While discussing strategies to control spread of the virus, he said the most effective strategy to deal with the third wave of coronavirus was to check the factors behind fast spread of the infection and using face masks.
Prime Minister also appealed the masses to ensure the implementation of corona SOPs.
Other than this, meeting was informed in detail regarding the existing situation of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, percentage of positive cases, availability of corona vaccine and its supply to masses as well as the measures being taken to ensure the ample availability of vaccine to people in near future.
Emphasizing on wearing face masks, Prime Minister said that the worldwide experience showed that the use of face masks had been most effective in checking the spread of COVID-19.
He said the strategy to deal with the third wave of coronavirus and to check its spread would have to be formulated while keeping in view the country’s economic situation especially the difficulties of masses.
Furthermore, he also underlined economic impact on the poor saying that as it were the poor who were affected most by the pandemic the center of government’s whole strategy was to provide relief to poor masses and to protect them from the negative effects of COVID-19.
He said the government had to adopt a balanced policy so as to check the pandemic at one hand and protect the people and economy from its effects on the other.
The previous wave of COVID-19 had rendered just 20 million people in Pakistan jobless. The poor segments were provided effective relief through the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, he added.
The provincial chief ministers and officials updated the prime minister of the COVID-19 situation in their respective provinces.
