‘Doctors on frontline of Covid-19 battle’

Basharat says medics, paramedics dying during virus duty will be given martyr’s status

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Muhammad Basharat Raja on Saturday said doctors in Punjab were currently fighting against coronavirus pandemic on the frontline, therefore, the government would remove all their legitimate concerns so that they could treat patients with full concentration.

He was chairing a government committee meeting with the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) at the CCPO office, here. Raja said the good sign was that a positive thinking prevailed on both sides of the department of Health and the GHA to address the issues.

The law minister said that all the demands of the GHA had been discussed in detail and consensus evolved on maximum issues.

He said eight of the ten doctors' demands had been acknowledged, including the supply of PPE, kits and full screening.

He said that the doctor or staff who might sacrifice life during the duty of coronavirus pandemic would be given the status of martyr.

Meanwhile, GHA Patron in Chief Dr Atif Chaudhry expressed satisfaction over the talks and said that they had full confidence in the law minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2020.