KARACHI: City Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Sunday asked the Sindh government to provide coronavirus testing facilities at one of the three public-sector hospitals in Central and West districts to cater to over 10 million people residing there.

In a statement issued here, the mayor also demanded of the provincial government to provide protective gear and kits to doctors and paramedical staff.

Mr Akhtar said that coronavirus tests were being conducted at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Indus Hospital and Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi but these hospitals could not cater to the entire city, especially the people of districts Central and West.

“People of districts Central and West are unable to go to these hospitals due closure of the public transport. A hospital from the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the Sindh government hospital New Karachi or Qatar Hospital Orangi Town could be provided with coronavirus test facilities,” he added.

The mayor was of the view that more people needed tests in coming weeks and that’s why one of these hospitals should be given test facility.

He said that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was facing a shortage of funds and asked the Sindh government to provide kits and other facilities to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital which could cater to both districts.

“The people of Orangi Town, Manghopir, Banaras, Pahar Ganj, Nusrat Bhutto Colony, Aligarh Colony and other less privileged areas cannot afford to go far away areas as most of the people are daily wages. If they are not provided with the facility nearby, their miseries might increase,” he added.

Mr Akhtar offered all-out support to the federal and the provincial governments on behalf of more than 300 elected representatives of local bodies to face this critical situation.

He once again appealed to philanthropists to come forward and help the needy, adding that local bodies’ representatives could be approached for identifying the poor.

Funds for local bodies

Mayor Wasim Akhtar has said that in the wake of coronavirus crisis, local bodies should be made more empowered and given necessary funds in order that they could play their role in an effective manner.

In a statement issued here, Mr Akhtar suggested that a network could be devised with local governments and their representatives as they were close to the common people. “After Covid-19 outbreak across the globe, it is the need of the hour that local bodies’ representatives should also be made part of the committees and task forces being established to counter coronavirus,” he added.

The mayor was of the view that LG representatives were well aware of locals and they could identify the needy people within their areas.

After the lockdown, empowered local bodies system is the need of hour, he added.

“Local government representatives are well aware of geographical situation of their areas and they could help in finding the needy people within their areas. If a network of LG representatives is formed to distribute rations and essential commodities among the needy, there would be no need for other force to do this work,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2020