PESHAWAR: US Consul General Sebron Toney inaugurated the first of a series of training sessions for doctors, nurses, paramedics, and support staff of the Lady Reading Hospital on ‘Infection Prevention and Control for Covid-19.’

The training is supported by the US government through the USAID-funded Integrated Health Services Strengthening and Service Delivery Activity.

A statement issued here said that the number of KP healthcare workers who tested positive for the coronavirus had reached the alarming rate of 1,000, which could be much higher in the days to come.

Sebron Tony said that through these trainings, healthcare providers would develop a better understanding of infection prevention and control in dealing with the Covid-19 suspected and confirmed cases.

They also learn how to protect themselves using personal protective equipment while treating patients. In addition to the staff of Lady Reading Hospital, the training will be provided to 400 healthcare providers across KP, he added.

“The United States government will continue to partner with the KP government in these trying times and I am confident, with this support, the department of health will improve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s health systems to handle calamities of such scale,” said the consul general.

“We developed this activity with the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help those heroes on the frontlines facing this deadly virus on a daily basis,” said USAID Mission Director Julie Koenen. “USAID and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are committed to providing the resources necessary to these courageous men and women to stop the spread of Covid-19.”

“We have always been very mindful of the training needs of the staff dealing with Covud-19 cases,” said Dr Suleman Khan, Medical Director of Lady Reading Hospital

“We appreciate USAID’s timely support to the hospital as it will save lives and help us improve the quality of healthcare.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2020