SWABI: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and provincial health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra on Saturday called for concerted efforts to defeat coronavirus.

They stated this while talking to mediapersons during a visit to the isolation ward at the Bacha Hospital Complex, Shahmansoor, and later at a meeting with principal of Gajju Khan Medical College.

The lawmakers asked the medical staff about their preparations to handle the coronavirus patients. They said the fight against the pandemic might continue for next few months.

Mr Qaiser said people should follow the government’s instructions and stay indoors to check spread of the virus. “The religious figures across the country should guide people to cooperate with the government and doctors,” he stressed.

The NA speaker said coronavirus was a unique challenge to the entire world as technology had failed to find a cure to it. He said the incentives announced by the prime minister for the construction industry would help revive the sector.

Mr Qaiser admitted weaknesses in distribution of relief among the lockdown-affected people, but said efforts were underway to plug the loopholes.

Health minister Saleem Jhagra, who also holds the portfolio of finance, said fight against coronavirus could be won if the people acted upon the government’s instructions. He said requirements of doctors and paramedical staff in hospitals had already been met and their future needs would also be met as they were on the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19.

FOOD ITEMS DISTRIBUTED: Essential items were distributed among the poor families of the Gohati region on Saturday by a local NGO.

Cricketer Yasir Shah, who was the chief guest, said it was the responsibility of the well-off to come forward to help the poor amid lockdown.

“We owe much to the poor sections of the society and they deserve every kind of help in the current difficult situation,” he said.

The NGO officials said they would select more poor families of the region for ration distribution.

BODY FOUND: The Topi police on Saturday found the body of a son of a constable.

Asim Malik, son of Shereen Malik, had disappeared two days ago. Locals informed the police about the presence of the body in the mountains. The police registered the case against unidentified suspects and began investigation.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020