The Sindh government has so far spent Rs891 million on buying the medical equipment and establishing the Field Isolation Centers at Expo Center and PAF Museum in Karachi out of the Coronavirus Emergency Fund (CEF). The Coronavirus Emergency Fund Committee, headed by the Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, which met here on Saturday, further sanctioned Rs449 million for procurement of laboratory equipment, PPEs and other related machinery, according to a news release. Secretary Finance informed the meeting that the amount collected in Fund was Rs.3.6030 billion that includes Rs.271.9 million donated by 1048 individuals and private organizations. Briefing the meeting, Health Secretary informed that 46 percent of the medical equipments purchased from the Fund, have been received while the rest of equipments are expected to be delivered by June 15, 2020. Director General of Provincial Disaster Management Authority told the meeting that PDMA received 11 ventilators of which six were installed at Jinnah Hospital Karachi. Chief Secretary directed the Secretary Health to ensure that ventilators and other equipments are installed at the hospitals soon as they are received. He told that the government would also purchase 400 beds for upgrading the ICUs at different hospitals. Chairman, Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, AhsanMangi informed the meeting that his team has inspected all the equipments delivered to the hospitals till April 15, 2020. Chief Secretary directed him to submit CMIT report in the next meeting.
