Local govt’s role termed crucial in stamping out virus
Lawmakers, civil society members discuss Covid-19 situation
A general view of a road traffic and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) building in the background, after Pakistan started easing the lockdown as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi, May 11, 2020. REUTERS
KARACHI:
Lawmakers and activists stressed on Saturday the crucial role of local government representatives in eradicating the coronavirus pandemic on the grassroots level.
They expressed these view during an online session title 'Covid-19 Pandemic and Responsibilities,' organised by the Health and Nutrition Development Society.
Shedding light on the importance of involving local government representatives in the fight against the pandemic, they maintained that the Local Government Act, 2013, bounded all municipal and town committees to adopt measures for curbing the spread of the contagion, in accordance with the law.
In this regard, all lawmakers attending the session agreed that provincial governments needed to extend support to local councils for developing a strategy for responding to the pandemic, so that local government representatives could be mobilised and local councils' resources employed to ensure citizens' compliance with the government's health advisories.
Discussing the condition of water sanitation and hygiene in the province, they stressed that the roles of all relevant departments were pivotal to containing the outbreak, so that the burden on health facilities could be reduced.
Lawmakers from Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, as well as civil society activists, participated in the discussion.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2020.
Lawmakers and activists stressed on Saturday the crucial role of local government representatives in eradicating the coronavirus pandemic on the grassroots level.
They expressed these view during an online session title 'Covid-19 Pandemic and Responsibilities,' organised by the Health and Nutrition Development Society.
Shedding light on the importance of involving local government representatives in the fight against the pandemic, they maintained that the Local Government Act, 2013, bounded all municipal and town committees to adopt measures for curbing the spread of the contagion, in accordance with the law.
In this regard, all lawmakers attending the session agreed that provincial governments needed to extend support to local councils for developing a strategy for responding to the pandemic, so that local government representatives could be mobilised and local councils' resources employed to ensure citizens' compliance with the government's health advisories.
Discussing the condition of water sanitation and hygiene in the province, they stressed that the roles of all relevant departments were pivotal to containing the outbreak, so that the burden on health facilities could be reduced.
Lawmakers from Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, as well as civil society activists, participated in the discussion.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2020.