Sindh has planned to double the capacity of provincial hospitals by July end to effectively cope with the growing number of COVID-19 patients, said Provincial Minister for Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechcho.
Briefing National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) about COVID-19, she said the law enforcers were being deployed at the hospitals to provide security to the healthcare workers. The provincial government was also planning to promulgate ordinance aiming to curb the increasing trend of violence in hospitals by punishing the families of the infected patients.
Chairing the meeting, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said the government wanted to ease lockdown.He asked the federating units to ensure implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at their respective jurisdictions.
He said a separate meeting with nurses,paramedics would also be arranged soon to know about their problems and suggestions.
The representatives of provinces urged the government to enact law for punishing the perpetrators of violence against healthcare workers in the hospitals.
Balochistan representative stressed offering incentives to healthcare workers for better working especially paying quick compensation to heirs of a health care worker, who die after contracting COVID-19.
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) representative said Telehealth Centres should be established at major hospitals.
Prime Minister's Focal Person on COVID-19 Dr Faisal Sultan, Provincial health ministers and high ranking officials of provincial governments including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) attended the meeting via video link.
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