ISLAMABAD: A team from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday visited Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and expressed satisfaction over preparedness, maintenance of isolation wards and case management to deal with any case of coronavirus as per recommended guidelines.

“The readiness of Pims to deal with the onslaught of coronavirus is indeed commendable,” said Dr Palitha Mahipala, the WHO head of mission.

He was talking to Pims Executive Director Dr Ansar Maqsood and his team during the visit to the hospital.

Dr Palitha was accompanied by Dr Michael Lukwya, the head of WHO health emergency team, and other officials.

Expressing satisfaction over the state of affairs at Pims, he offered supply of more personal equipment, including surgical gloves, masks, hand sanitisers, gowns, goggles, liquid soap and other supplies.

WHO has already provided personal protective equipment (PPEs) and LED screens to be mounted in the isolation wards as a part of health education.

In addition, WHO has provided information, education and communication materials (flyers and leaflets) to raise public awareness about prevention and control of the virus.

An emergency task force has been constituted in the country office of WHO to work closely with national and provincial authorities to prevent the onslaught of the novel coronavirus and protect people from disease transmission.

A strategic health operation and communication room is already working at the WHO country office for emergency response.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2020