Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way of living and stressed that it is need of the hour to change our lifestyle accordingly.
He was talking to Law Minister Basharat Raja who called on him on Saturday as both leaders discussed issues of mutual interests including politics, Covid-19 and upcoming budget session.
The CM said that the provincial regime introduced the Punjab Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Control) Ordinance 2020 for effective implementation over the government measures.
Talking about locust attack, Usman Buzdar affirmed that the Punjab government took practical steps to control the situation. The CM also presided over a high level meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Corona Control which reviewed in detail about the situation occurred due to coronavirus.
The participants presented their proposals for safety from coronavirus and agreed to send them to the federal government for opening different institutions in Punjab according to the SOPs devised in this regard.
The meeting took principle decision to ensure implementation of covering face and nose across the province under which police and traffic wardens will be able to warn the violators.
Cabinet Committee allows Punjab Public Service Commission to interview one thousand lady doctors by following the SOPs.
Punjab Public Service can take written exam and interview after ensuring the implementation on SOPs, however NCOC will be informed about the decision of allowing PPSC to take the interview.
It was also decided in the meeting that DRAP will be approached for the permission to prepare ventilator and respirator at local level.
NCOC will take final decision to reopen the parks, new working hours for the commercial enterprises and 2-day holidays. Lists of plasma donors have been prepared in Mayo and Jinnah hospitals.
Corona patient can be treated with plasma under expert protocol. Central Control Room for monitoring the movement of corona patients will be established in Mayo Hospital Lahore and Dr Asad Aslam will be the Operations Commander of Central Control Room.
The meeting was informed that more than 2 lakh 28 thousand corona tests have so far been conducted in Punjab. There is no shortage of beds or facilities for corona patients in Punjab.
More than one thousand beds reserved for corona patients in the province are still vacant Health Minister Dr. Yasmeen Rashid informed the meeting that the data related to Corona expenditure is available on the website of the department to ensure transparency.
The chief minister said that the federal government would be requested to provide 1500 ventilators. The best measures are being taken by the government under available resources to deal with Covid-19.
Orders of federal government will be followed in connection with opening of restaurants and cafes. He directed that no corona patient should face any difficulty in the government hospital.
Provincial Ministers Abdul Aleem Khan, Raja Basharat, Yasmeen Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretary Home, IG, Secretary Primary Health, Secretaries of Finance and Information, Commissioner Lahore attended the meeting while other senior officials participated from their offices via video link.
