'Pakistan's preparation, response to Covid-19 one of the best worldwide'

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said on Sunday that Pakistan's preparation and response to Covid-19 was one of the best worldwide.

In a statement, the special assistant said the government has been able to contain Covid-19 through timely decisions, smart lockdown strategy, implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the Trace, Test and Quarantine (TTQ) strategy.

He said the government is committed to introducing fundamental reforms by bringing primary healthcare based universal health coverage in the country.

Dr Mirza pinned the blame for issues facing the health sector today on the collective failures of past governments, adding that the incumbent government is aware of the problems in the health sector and will prioritise the health needs of the people.

The special assistant denied claims that the government is privatising public sector hospitals saying, "We are making these hospitals autonomous."

On July 5, Mirza said the government was pursuing a holistic strategy to combat Covid-19, with the support of citizens and paramedics.

During a visit to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, Dr Mirza lauded the efforts of healthcare workers and medical staff fighting on the frontline against the pandemic.

The special assistant underscored that the government gradually eased the lockdown, but shifted its focus on the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the spread of the virus.

He said the federal government made the best sovereign decisions in the interest of the masses with robust national coordination and decision-making mechanism.