Corona fight hobbled by funding crunch: NP

Party leader stresses on employing expertise of senior medical staff

QUETTA: Amid criticism faced by Balochistan government over the handling of coronavirus in the province, former provincial minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch censured the provincial government over provision of insufficient funds to district health administrations which prevented them from performing duties.

“Purchasing of life saving equipment and provision of medical facilities are the responsibilities of the provincial health department but the government relies on the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to provide the facilities,” said Baloch in a press release issued on Friday.

Baloch, who is also leader of National Party (NP), criticised policies of the government designed to deal with the deadly contagion. Emphasising on the need for improved health facilities, the former minister said, “The government should utilise expertise of qualified health professionals and medics in order to stem the rapidly spreading virus in the province.”

Referring to the other provinces and the rest of the world, the NP leader stressed on employing the services of senior medics and health professionals on the frontline.

As the deadly contagion proliferates, the former minister called for provision of protective gear to the medics and nursing staff by the provincial government.

Although the provincial government had announced complete closure of borders with Iran and Afghanistan, the former minister claimed that Makran, a bordering area with Iran, was still operational leading to the outbreak of coronavirus in Balochistan.

“The government should ensure availability of medical equipment and establishment of isolation wards and quarantine centres in the border area in case the virus spreads further,” he added.  

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2020.