Strict security arranged for vaccine

Doses reach all Punjab districts for inoculation of health staff

LAHORE:

Coronavirus vaccine has been delivered to all 36 districts of Punjab amid strict security arrangements.

The provincial primary and secondary healthcare departments sought cooperation from all relevant agencies for the transportation, storage and management of the vaccine.

According to the health secretary, the high demand for the vaccine and the importance of the exercise for the country prompted the authorities to also make security arrangements to avert any theft or replacement of the consignments, terrorist attack or accident during the transportation. The vaccine was delivered in vehicles having the cold-storage facility under police surveillance.

The official said a mechanism had been put in place with the help of security agencies to ensure that the vaccination is carried out smoothly. As per the directives of the chief minister, all resources will be utilised to complete the vaccination process in a transparent manner.

The first consignment of 70,000 vaccine doses has been provided by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to the Punjab government and detailed instructions have been issued to address the security concerns.

The healthcare workers have to be vaccinated in the initial phase. Cold chain transportation arrangements from Lahore had been made and the vaccine will be kept in appropriate district storage facilities.

Globally, Interpol has already instructed member states to pay special attention to vaccine transport to ensure that the consignments are not stolen or replaced with counterfeit products. The organisation warned of possible attempts to disrupt the supply of the vaccines amid their shortage.

In view of the concerns, CCTV cameras had to be installed to monitor the storage of the vaccine. The vehicles arriving in all districts would be taken to the hospitals in accordance with the security SOPs.

The federal government has also sent a letter to the provincial authorities, stressing the need to transport the vaccine safely.

According to sources, it is likely that after the health workers, vaccine purchased from the Chief Minister's Covid Fund will be administered to the deserving government employees. The details will be worked out after reviewing the recommendations of the finance and health departments.

Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Javan Bakh said while

presiding over the 52nd meeting of the Standing Committee of Cabinet on Finance and Development at the Chief Minister's Secretariat that the doctors and other staff serving in the specialised healthcare department will be rewarded on the basis of individual performance.

He said the policy of offering performance-based additional incentives to improve service delivery will be gradually applied to all institutions in the social sector.

The provincial minister directed the health department to develop a strategy for involving consultants from the private sector to evaluate the performance of doctors and medical staff in hospitals. The reliance on modern technological resources to monitor performance will be increased with time.

The minister said personal performance reports would create opportunities for overcoming issues of negligence.

A proposal by the Information Technology Board for setting up service centres in Lodhran, Chakwal and Sialkot was also approved along with supplementary grant for cooperatives department, Ulema Board, Auqaf department and funds for payment of salaries of daily wage employees of Punjab Vocational Training Centres.

The department of specialised healthcare was permitted to increase the salaries of doctors, while the Department of Food received approval in principle for the recruitment of food grain inspectors and supervisors.

The minister directed the finance secretary to review the legal issues for bringing the distribution of aid among the beneficiaries of Zakat and Ushr department under the Punjab Social Protection Authority.

Other participants of the meeting included Minister for Industry and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal, Adviser to the Chief Minister for Economic Affairs Dr Salman Shah and secretaries of relevant departments.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2021.