Burden on hospitals to increase if SOPs not followed: PM Imran

Premier says month if July will be crucial for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday warned that the burden on hospitals and health facilities across the country will increase if the citizenry does not adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Talking to volunteers of Corona Relief Tiger Force in Islamabad, the premier said it is essential to make the common people understand the importance of following precautionary measures.

“Spread of the virus could be curtailed if people follow the SOPs in letter and spirit,” he stated.

The premier stressed that the coming month would be crucial for the country and its health infrastructure.

“If we are able to convince people to adopt maximum precautionary measures, the peak of the disease could pass,” the prime minister underscored, adding that the administration was already stretched to its limits and could not bear additional pressure.

Speaking in regards to the task of the Tiger Force, Imran said volunteers are very important as they play an important role in all countries in stemming the tide of the pandemic.

Praising volunteers and members of the Corona Relief Tiger Force, the prime minister said youth is our future and they also have to play a key role in the upcoming monsoon season by planting the maximum number of trees.

Earlier in June, the prime minister had said Pakistan was a poor country which could not afford a harsh lockdown, and smart lockdowns were the only solution.