A Reuters image showing ventilators.

Rs466m sanctioned for 168 new ventilators

Another Rs237 approved for procuring laboratory, medical equipment


​ Our Correspondent May 30, 2020
KARACHI: The Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund committee sanctioned on Friday another Rs466 million from the budget allocated for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to purchase 168 ventilators.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Sindh chief secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, where the PDMA director-general stated that the 100 ventilators ordered previously would be delivered by June 25.

Besides approving funds for ventilators, the committee also allocated Rs237 million for procuring laboratory and medical equipment as well as other machinery. The medical equipment is being purchased for isolation facilities at the Expo Centre, PAF Museum and hospitals, Shah informed the meeting.

He further said that the new ventilators would be given to public hospitals and directed the health secretary to ensure that hospitals received the ventilators. He directed the health secretary to prepare a ventilator installation plan and share it with the PDMA and the National Disaster Management Authority.

Moreover, the chief secretary instructed the health secretary to establish new coronavirus wards at the Sindh Government Hospital in Korangi and New Karachi, Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

In addition, the dental ward at Dow University Hospital, too, will be converted into a coronavirus ward, the meeting was told.

The chief secretary further informed the meeting that so far Rs1.5 billion had been spent out of Rs3.61 billion collected for the fund.

He reviewed the progress of upgrading intensive care units and high dependency units in public hospitals as well as of the inspection and audit of medical equipment being delivered to government healthcare facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2020.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ