FEDERAL Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday said that all restrictions, which were imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, have been removed, besides expediting the vaccination campaign to provide vaccine cover to 100% population.
Addressing a press conference along with Adviser to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan at National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Asad said that the decision to lift restrictions was taken after witnessing continued decline in Covid positivity ratio in the last eight weeks.
The deadly Corona virus disease (Covid-19) played havoc with lives and economies of almost all countries of the globe ever-since it was first reported from Wuhan, China on 31 December 2019.
In all, 462 million people were affected worldwide and of them 6.
05 million died due to Covid-19 related complications.
The virus spread with great speed throughout the world creating enormous problems for countries like Pakistan, which have resource constraints and their health systems were not prepared to cope with the unprecedented burden.
However, credit definitely goes to the PTI Government and Asad Omer-led NCOC for handling the challenge with a vision and kind of priority it deserved.
Pakistan’s response to the situation created by Covid-19 is now quoted as a model by experts and leaders at home and abroad as the policy of smart lockdowns, cash grants for vulnerable segments of the society and a well-coordinated vaccination campaign kept the damage to minimum and helped restore normalcy.
It is, indeed, a great achievement that 70% of the population has been vaccinated and as a result the country was able to overcome the situation created by fifth wave of the virus.
The nation also owes its gratitude to health workers who provided medical services to the people putting their own lives in peril.
The pandemic has many lessons and based on the experience, federal and provincial governments should formulate and implement plans for upgrading of the health system.
