The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) was informed on Sunday that the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination would devise a comprehensive disinfection policy to ensure sanitization of places at rational basis. “In a meeting with the health ministers of all the provinces, we have agreed on five things that include systematic investigation of COVID patients’ deaths, zero prevalence study of the virus, post-quarantine policy, guideline for disinfection and resource management in hospitals,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Zafar Mirza told the NCOC. The NCOC, which met here with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, was also attended by NCOC National Coordinator Lt Gen Hamood Uz Zaman, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minster on National Security Moeed Yusuf and others.
Dr Zafar Mirza said that it was agreed that regarding the disinfection of the areas detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) need to be issued.
“We need to be more systematic while investigating deaths of the COVID-19 patients,” he said, adding that a uniform approach for the purpose would be issued shortly. Dr Zafar said the provinces had been informed about the system built by the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to indicate availability of vents and bed occupancy in the country’s hospitals.
NITB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shabahat Ali Shah, while giving presentation to the NCOC about the system, said that it was meant to facilitate the policy makers in decision making over the coronavirus.
He said all the public sector hospital managements had been given access to the system, enabling them to update the data of their resources recently.
Asad Umar underlined the need for providing access to the website to the provincial health authorities to ensure regular updating of data regarding the availability of beds and ventilators in all the hospitals.
Multiple agendas including new policy for repatriation stranded nationals, procurement of critical equipment by the National Disaster Management Authority also came under discussion.
The CEO National Disaster Risk Management Fund briefed the NCOC about utilization of funds for procurement of the Personal Protective Equipment in the wake of coronavirus.
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