Battling COVID-19: Punjab to recruit 10,000 doctors

Provincial cabinet postpones local bodies’ elections for nine months

LAHORE: To rein in further spread of the novel coronavirus, the Punjab cabinet has approved the Punjab Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020, giving a go-ahead for immediate hiring of 10,000 doctors, paramedics and health professionals, including retired doctors.

Provincial cabinet has also given approval for Rs11 billion financial resources for Punjab Health Department and Rs2 billion for the Provincial Management Authority (PDMA). The Punjab government has also endorsed the release of Rs1 billion for the government of Balochistan, as announced by the Punjab government, to deal with the coronavirus.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar made these announcements while briefing media via video link, on Tuesday, after presiding over 28th session of the Punjab cabinet.

The chief minister said the province has a total of 265 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 176 patients in Dera Ghazi Khan quarantine centre, 59 in public hospitals of Lahore, 12 in Gujrat, seven in Gujranwala, three in Jhelum, two in Rawalpindi and one in Mandi Bahauddin.

The government has decided to upgrade three testing laboratories of Lahore to level 3, while the establishment of five new level 3 laboratories in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad and Bahawalpur has been approved, for which a sum of Rs620 million has been allocated.

Buzdar paid rich tribute to the doctors and paramedics who are providing medical care services to coronavirus patients in hospitals across Pakistan.

The chief minister announced that all members of the provincial cabinet and he will donate one-month salary to the Chief Minister’s Fund for coronavirus control. Besides issuance of funds to the provincial health department and the PDMA, he pointed out, the provincial cabinet has accorded approval of Rs600 million for all district administrations.

Understanding difficulties of daily wagers and the poor, provincial cabinet has also decided to make Zakat deductions and distribution a month earlier. The Punjab government has already sent this proposal to the federal government. Zakat distribution from Baitul Maal will also start soon, the chief minister maintained.

Buzdar also revealed that the provincial government has decided to postpone local government elections for nine months, for which an ordinance is being introduced in the wake of the current emergency.

The chief minister said a committee has been constituted to evaluate the proposal of early summer vacations in schools. The committee will also evaluate proposals to bring down private schools fees during summer vacations and submit its recommendations in seven days.

He also highlighted that another committee has been constituted under the convenorship of Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja, which will coordinate with opposition parliamentary parties and pave way for joint struggle to tackle coronavirus.



Buzdar also highlighted that the government has approved a Rs800,000 aid package for heirs of deceased coronavirus patients. He added that the Punjab government is working on an economic package to facilitate the masses and the finance minister will give a detailed briefing in the next few days. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has also forwarded its recommendations to the federal government and Prime Minister Imran Khan will announce the economic package of the federal government, he stated.

The chief minister said the cabinet approved the amendment in local bodies act and agreed to delay local bodies elections for nine months keeping in view the prevailing situation. For this, an ordinance is being issued because May 5 is the deadline of holding local bodies elections. The chief secretary presented a contingency plan which was approved by the cabinet.

The chief minister said the ministers have been assigned duties in districts to take steps for dealing with coronavirus. The meeting directed the health department to complete the procurement of necessary health equipment as soon as possible.

To a question, the chief minister emphasized that implementation on the steps being taken for safety from coronavirus will be ensured at every cost as Section 144 is imposed but home delivery of eatables and medicines and the business of raw material used in sanitiser and other items needed in the current situation will not be affected; and in case of any problem, the administration can be approached.

To another question, he said that SOPs have been issued for mosques and precautionary steps are being taken as the government is fully prepared to deal with the emergency. The health department is also fully prepared and funds have been provided to defeat coronavirus, he said. To a question, he said that it is not a curfew, nor lockdown, but steps have been taken by the government to protect the lives of the people and the services of the army have also be acquired under Article 245.

Provincial ministers Yasmeen Rashid, Basharat Raja, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Hashim Jawan Bakht and the secretary information were also present.

Earlier, Chief Minister Buzdar paid tribute to Dr Usama Riaz while presiding over the cabinet meeting. The doctor fell victim to coronavirus while treating other patients.

The meeting gave in-principle approval to The Punjab Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020. The CM directed that establishment of testing labs in every division be examined and immediate steps be taken as well.

The ex-post facto approval of requisition for acquiring the services of Pak Army under Article 245 was given along with the approval of the amendment in Punjab Local Government Act, 2019. Approval of amendment in Punjab Village, Panchayat and Neighbourhood Council Act, 2019 was also given. Minutes of 27th meeting of Punjab cabinet and decisions made in the 27th and 28th meetings of cabinet standing committee for finance and development were also approved.

Meanwhile, on instructions of the chief minister for a crackdown against those involved in making spurious sanitisers, hand wash and antiseptic chemicals, the police and district administration have apprehended four accused and recovered hundreds of litres of fake sanitisers, hand wash and antiseptic chemicals in Gujranwala.

The police also recovered equipment and material being used in the preparation of sanitisers, hand wash and antiseptic chemicals.

On a tip-off of the special branch, police and administration officials conducted a raid at a warehouse in the area near Kamboh Paan Shop Jinnah Road of PS Civil Lines and another raid was conducted in the area of Sharifpura Puli, GT Road in the precinct of PS Model Town. Four accused namely Bahsarat, Hayyat, Mudasir Iqbal and Mubashir Iqbal were arrested. Meanwhile, the CM issued instructions to accelerate crackdown against the mafia involved in the making of spurious sanitisers and hand wash. Such elements deserve no leniency, he added and further directed the police and administration to continue action without any discrimination.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2020.