MINGORA: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said government is taking emergency steps to control the coronavirus outbreak as well as facilitate the poor communities.

He was talking to journalists after inaugurating laboratory for coronavirus test in Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital. Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed, MNAs and MPAs, officials of Malakand division and Swat district were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that the laboratory for testing Covid-19 was established on emergency basis and now all the tests from the nine districts of Malakand division would be conducted there.

“Today, I visited and checked the activities carried out by the district administration to stop spread of coronavirus in Swat. I found all the arrangements satisfactory,” he said.

CM inaugurates Covid-19 testing lab in Swat

The chief minister said that apart from federal government’s initiative of Ehsaas programme, the provincial government allocated Rs13 billion for the daily wagers and poor people.

“Those, who are not included in Ehsaas programme, will get benefited from the provincial package till the month of Ramazan. About 43 per cent of population of the province will be covered in the package. About 100,000 people from the remaining poor community will be assisted from the provincial Zakat fund,” said the chief minister.

He said that imposing lockdown and ensuring social distancing were meant for public safety. “I request people to follow social distancing protocols and do not come out of their houses unnecessarily because this is the only way to be safe from coronavirus,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Murad Saeed appreciated the efforts of doctors, nurses, paramedics, police and journalists against Covid-19.

“For effective lockdown there is need for an effective strategy and the effective strategy is the one under which the government can successfully take care of the daily wagers and poor communities,” he said.

About the overseas Pakistanis, who were stranded abroad, the federal minister said that government issued a telephone number on which they could register themselves. “More than 40,000 overseas Pakistanis have registered themselves so far. I assure them that all of them will be brought to the country,” he added.

He also appreciated the Swat district administration, district health office and LHWs programme for taking innovative steps to stop spread of Covid-19.

The chief minister and federal minister also inaugurated Rescue 1122 station and visited Ehsas cash distribution center in Kabal tehsil besides visiting Matta hospital to see the arrangements regarding Covid-19.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2020