Punjab begins vaccination of frontline workers

Punjab formally started vaccination of frontline workers serving in coronavirus wards under the supervision of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid at Mayo Hospital on Wednesday.

Present on the occasion were King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, Mayo Hospital CEO Dr Asad Aslam Khan, Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Zahid and a large number of other doctors. The first worker was vaccinated in the presence of the health minister in the OPD of Mayo Hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, the health minister said that the frontline workers treating the Covid affected patients were the health department’s priority. “Let us remember the workers who lost their lives fighting this pandemic.”

She added that Punjab had received 70,000 doses of the vaccine on Wednesday. “The Specialised Healthcare Department has shall be given 27,625, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) shall be given 32,000 while private hospitals will be given 7,200, drivers of emergency services will get 650 and lab staff will get 1,800 dozes.”

China’s Sinopharm donated the first consignment of 500,000 doses to Pakistan, the health minister further said. “We are grateful to the Chinese government for their great support. They have always helped us in times of trial.”

She elaborated, “Covex has pledged to give us 17 million doses. We hope to get more vaccine from Consignia in around two to two-and-a-half months.”

Covid-19 inoculation drive commences in Pakistan

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Faisal Sultan has assured us that in the next five months, vaccine for over 100 million people will be available in Punjab, she stated. “The Government has reserved adequate amount for the coronavirus vaccine. In the next 15 days, frontline workers of Teaching Hospitals and DHQs shall be given the vaccination.”

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.