As country battles a dangerous third wave of Corona Virus, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah announced that his government would ‘intervene’ to make operational the oxygen plant installed at Pakistan Steel Mill at a cost of Rs1 billion.
The CM was responding to suggestions made by doctors who cautioned him about growing shortage of oxygen in hospitals that could paralyse lives of Covid-19 patients.
Uninterrupted supply of oxygen in all hospitals was crucial in view of alarming level of infections as a result of which hospitals are now flooded with patients.
In neighbouring India, a number of Covid-19 patients breathed their last due to shortage of oxygen and the situation has still not improved despite emergency aid by number of countries.
Under these circumstances, Pakistan authorities must explore all options to ensure continued supply of oxygen to government and private sector hospitals.
It is appreciable that Sindh government has adopted a proactive approach in this regard as earlier the provincial cabinet decided to import at least two oxygen plants and now the government has expressed willingness to invest one billion rupees to revive the oxygen plant of Pakistan Steel.
The CM is personally reviewing emerging situation and holding regular high-level meetings where prompt decisions are taken to check the spread of the virus and provide proper facilities to affected people.
Sindh has been in the forefront of fight against Covid-19 and it was because of clear-headed approach of the Chief Minister that instance of virus in Sindh was much less than in other parts of the country.
As situation is changing obviously due to inter-provincial movements, the provincial government is once again enforcing stricter measures to save lives.
The decision of provincial government to provide free Corona Virus vaccines to private hospitals across the province after cases in Karachi and Hyderabad rose would also contribute a lot in checking the spread of the virus and accelerating the pace of immunisation.
