Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik has directed all the administrative and police officers to ensure that precautionary measures are implemented in the bazaars and shopping malls, saying that no compromise could be made on this important matter as ‘protection of public health and precious human lives is our prime responsibility’.
The CS, on the direction of Cabinet Committee, was presiding over a meeting to review the clinical trial of drug Actemra for use by seriously-ill Covid-19 patients in the province.
The health experts informed the chief secretary that the initial trial of drug Actemra had been conducted at PKLI, Mayo, and Services Hospital and the medicine showed positive results, which are further being evaluated. They said the drug could only be given to critically-ill patients with specific symptoms on the advice of doctors whereas ordinary coronavirus patients would not be allowed to use it.
The experts further said that recommendations on the use of the drug would be submitted to the Cabinet Committee and after final approval it could be administered to critical patients with specific symptoms on the prescription of doctors. The chief secretary said that all possible assistance would be provided to the experts for the clinical trial.
The meeting also reviewed, in detail, the situation of coronavirus and implementation of SOPs for its prevention. The CS appealed to the people to extend full cooperation to the administration and law-enforcement agencies in implementing the SOPs so that this deadly epidemic could be controlled.
