CHITRAL: The Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan, (AKHSP), has planned to set up a testing facility of Covid-19 in Chitral and has started the process of importing the machine and allied equipment.

AKHSP regional head Mirajuddin said this while speaking at a ceremony arranged at the inauguration of 28-bedded Covid-19 Response Centre in Booni, Upper Chitral.

He said that establishing a testing facility had become essential in Chitral as sending a swab sample of a suspected patient to Peshawar entailed heavy expenses.

He said the centre had the required facilities while eight doctors, 24 nurses and paramedical staff would be available there. He said that for the first time ventilators had been provided for serious patients in Chitral.

KP chief minister’s special assistant Wazir Zada formally inaugurated the centre. He appreciated the AKHSP for providing quality healthcare services in Chitral since long.

Upper Chitral DC ShahSaud said that as many 7,690 people who arrived here from other districts had been quarantined in Upper Chitral.

He said that after lifting ban on public transport, people were arriving here in large numbers for celebrating Eid with their relatives.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2020