PESHAWAR: Adviser to the chief minister on information Ajmal Khan Wazir on Tuesday urged all residents, who have recovered from novel coronavirus (Covid-19), to donate blood plasma for transfusion to other patients.

“The transfusion of plasma from recovered Covid-19 cases helps with the fast recovery of patients,” Mr Wazir said during a visit to the Hayatabad Medical Complex.

During a meeting with Hayatabad Medical Complex medical director Dr Shehzad Akbar, the adviser was briefed on the latest situation regarding coronavirus epidemic.

He also met doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff members and praised them for fighting coronavirus on the front line.

Mr Wazir said he had shown up to encourage and appreciate the efforts of the HMC’s medical staff against the virus.

He visited different wards of the complex to express solidarity with all those involved in the anti-coronavirus fight and praised Professor Javed for rendering life for the cause.

CM aide warns virus cases to surge if people don’t follow SOPs

The adviser said though limited resources were available, the province’s health system did an excellent job.

He praised the HMC for being the first health facility, whose doctors donated blood plasma for Covid-19 patients.

Mr Wazir also appreciated journalists over plasma donation. He said the virus patients from across the province and bordering Afghanistan were being treated in Peshawar hospitals, while doctors, paramedics and other health workers had endangered their lives to care for the coronavirus patients.

The adviser said the entire nation, especially the resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, should follow the guidelines issued by the government for virus prevention and control.

He warned that the Covid-19 incidence could surge if the residents didn’t follow SOPs and that case, the influx of patients to hospitals would create problems for health workers.

Also, Mr Wazir told reporters that the province celebrated Eidul Fitr with simplicity in line with the chief minister’s directions.

He said Eid was named after the victims of the Karachi plane crash and HMC’s Professor Javed and others, who had died of coronavirus.

The adviser asked people to practise social distancing and take other precautionary measures against Covid-19.

“We got united during earthquakes and floods and fought terrorism together. We will also fight coronavirus jointly by maintaining social distance and taking precautions,” he said.

During the visit to the complex, the adviser also inquired after senior journalist Fakhruddin Syed, who was diagnosed with coronavirus lately.

He said the journalists played a pivotal role in creating awareness of coronavirus by endangering their life and the government won’t leave them alone during the emergency.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020