Shah calls for nationwide health advisory

Says all provinces need to work together to fight coronavirus outbreak more effectively

KARACHI: Calling the federal government's decision to extend the suspension of international flights past April 5 a wise decision, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah called for a unanimous health advisory to be issued for all the provinces.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Shah said, "We can fight against the spread of coronavirus more effectively if we are together."

He pointed out that cases of the infectious disease were now being reported all over the country, and so a unanimous health advisory should be issued for all provinces. "In these testing times, all the provincial governments are adopting drastic measures that they had never taken before," he added.

The minister further insisted that the federal government should take the provincial governments into confidence before making decisions on matters such as the resumption of international flights, adding that it was too early to decide when these flights should be restarted.

He said that it may be too early to resume flight operations on April 5, adding that only time would tell what the situation required.

Distributing rations

Meanwhile, Shah also said that the Sindh Chief Minister had instructed that ration must be distributed on a priority basis, with the top priority must be given to the families of daily wage workers.

He maintained that the Sindh government was doing its utmost to reach the families who were in dire need at this difficult time, and had also taken other stakeholders, including representatives of welfare organisations, on board.

He added that the provincial government would not abandon its people during these testing times.

The minister further claimed that Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also directed the Sindh government to approach every single needy person, while telling them that there must be no compromise when it came to them.

Drastic measures

Discussing the drastic measures taken by the Sindh government to try to control the pandemic, Shah explained that the ban on congregational prayers had been an extremely difficult decision to make, but they had been left with no other choice in order to save people's lives.

The minister further stated that another important decision that had to be taken recently was the change in the lockdown timings. He maintained that observing the new timings for shops was crucial in ensuring social distancing among the people. However, he added, those engaged in providing essential services had been exempted from the lockdown since its very first day.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2020.