Second pandemic wave more severe, cautions minister
A file photo of Dr Yasmin Rashid
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said the government was implementing coronavirus SOPs following the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to control the virus transmission as the second wave of the pandemic was more severe globally than the first wave.
She expressed these views while receiving six biosafety cabinets donated by the WHO for the Lab of TB Control Programme, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department on Monday.
Present on the occasion were Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Captain (retd) Usman Younis, World Health Organisation representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala, officials of TB Control Programme, Rafia Haider, Dr Jamshed and other officials of the department.
The health minister lauded the WHO for donating biosafety cabinets and said it would significantly enhance the capacity to perform coronavirus and other tests to a great deal. “All of these biosafety cabinets will be installed at different BSL-3 labs in Punjab. The testing capacity is increased by around 600 tests a cabinet apiece in a day,” she said.
The minister said currently 16 BSL labs were performing coronavirus tests in the public sector and overall more than 50 labs in Punjab have the capacity to perform coronavirus tests. The WHO has always been supportive in challenges.
“The Europe is re-imposing lockdowns as winter sets in. We have already scaled up the capacity to fight epidemics and pandemics in Punjab. Our facilities are well prepared, our doctors have learnt so much and we have developed a capacity to fight the Pandemic.”
WHO representative Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala said the organisation would continue to support Pakistan. He appreciated the health minister for taking measures to control the pandemic.
Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Captain (retd) Usman Younis said Punjab has intensified the process of contact tracing in the wake of an increasing number of cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2020.