PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information, Public Relations and Local Government Kamran Khan Bangash has said that government has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cattle markets before Eidul Azha to protect people from Covid-19.

Briefing journalists at civil secretariat, he said that according to the SOPs, cattle markets would be set up outside the cities. He added that instead of establishing big cattle markets, more small markets would be set up to avoid rush at one place, according to a statement.

Mr Bangash said arrangements would also be made to avoid congestion around the cattle markets while traffic police would have the responsibility to come up with a plan to avoid traffic congestion.

Kamran Bangash says elderly people and children will not be allowed to visit the markets

He said that district administration would check the condition of those markets and no cattle market would be set up without registration. “Elderly people and children would not be allowed to enter the cattle markets,” he added.

Mr Bangash said that just like at all other places, entry to the cattle markets without a mask was not allowed. He added that temperature of every person entering cattle market would be checked with thermal gun.

He said that hand washing and sanitizer facilities would be available at the markets. He said that during Ramazan and Eidul Fitr, people were seen careless regarding SOPs and the result was a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

Mr Bangash said that people should take precautionary measures during Eidul Azha and Muharram. In this regard, Prime Minister Imran Khan has also appealed to the people to follow guidelines issued by government.

He said that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed strict enforcement of the SOPs as protection of health and life of the people was the top priority of the government. “Social distance, use of masks and washing of hands from time to time are necessary to prevent coronavirus,” he added.

Talking about government’s initiatives for prevention and control of coronavirus, Mr Bangash said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, government was fully focused on enhancing hospitals’ capacity across the province. He added that last week, Chief Minister Mahmood inaugurated a hospital for coronavirus patients in Nishatarabad having capacity of 58 beds.

He said that with the support of NDMA corona centre was being set up in Peshawar Institute of Cardiology where all health facilities would be provided to Covid-19 patients.

Mr Bangash said that the hospital would have the capacity of 300 beds including 34 high dependency units and 16 ventilator beds.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2020