1,200-bed quarantine facility inaugurated at Karachi Expo Centre

The facility will house only confirmed coronavirus patients

KARACHI: Inaugurating a 1,200-bed isolation facility at the Expo Centre in Karachi on Thursday, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail lauded the services of volunteers and medical staff and said that they had been fighting the battle against the coronavirus on the front line.

Reviewing the arrangements at the facility and announcing a donation of 5,000 safety kits for the isolation centre, the governor said that it would remain functional until the contagion was completely eradicated.

He said that the isolation centre was established keeping in view the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, including the installation of separate gates for patients and staff as well as video-calling equipment for patients.

The governor also acknowledged the contributions of the Pakistan Army and National Disaster Management Authority towards establishing the isolation centre.

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Asserting that the federal government was committed to making all-out effort for overcoming the coronavirus crisis, he requested affluent citizens and welfare organisations to step forward and help with keeping the centre running for as long as required.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, who also spoke on the occasion, said that the Sindh government would provide all possible support to keep the facility operational.

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The isolation facility has been jointly set up by the Sindh government and the federal government in collaboration with the Pakistan Army and is to accommodate only those patients confirmed of having contracted the virus. It will start admitting patients today (Friday).

Staff deployed at the facility are to be provided boarding and dining facilities within the premises and will be required to stay in the special quarantine area for 15 days, as a precautionary measure.

In addition, the staff will undergo regular medical checks, and their lodging spaces will be disinfected regularly as well.

Thousands of volunteers have registered to provide assistance for running the facility.