MIRPURKHAS: Officers of district administration with the help of Pak Army officials and troops launched a campaign across the district on Wednesday to enforce SOPs for coronavirus in markets and on roads in line with guidelines of National Command and Operation Centre.

Deputy Commissioner Salamat Memon, who led a team of assistant commissioners, army troops and police, paid surprise visits to Municipal Shopping Centre, Cloth Market, Shahi Bazaar, Khisak Pura, Market Chowk and Post Office Chowk to check implementation of SOPs.

He also awarded summary corporal punishments to some shopkeepers who were found violating the SOPs and warned people and shopkeepers to observe SOPs for their own safety, ensure wearing face masks, use sanitizer and observe social distancing, otherwise, they too would have to face the murgha punishment.

The team’s arrival spread panic in local markets as the law enforcers and officials awarded punishments and forced shops to close at 6pm as per order.

Earlier, DC Memon presided over a meeting to review measures for controlling spread of the virus and directed officers concerned to ensure implementation of SOPs in markets and on roads and impose fine on violators without any discrimination.

He said the third wave of coronavirus was very dangerous and the only way to stop it from spreading was strict observance of SOPs. All people coming out of their houses should wear face masks and maintain social distancing to save peoples’ lives, he said.

The meeting was attended by officers of administration, Pak Army, health, revenue, and other departments.

LUH provided equipment

HYDERABAD: Sindh government has provided equipment worth millions of rupees to Liaquat University Hospital’s (LUH) Jamshoro and City branches.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, LUH director of administration Abdul Sattar Jatoi said that a ward of international standards equipped with modern machinery and intensive care unit (ICU) had been set up for Covid-19 patients.

He said that ventilators, monitors and central oxygen system had been installed in the ward. High-flow nasal device that provided 70 litre oxygen per minute to patient was also available, which was a rarity in Sindh.

He said that three tanks of liquid oxygen with 10,000 litre capacity were provided by the government. The ward comprising 87 beds was established in LUH Jamshoro branch which could be used on need basis. The hospital was ready for meeting any emergency, he said.

He said that LUH was providing facilities to patients from Hyderabad and rest of Sindh barring Karachi. Rs30,000 were being spent on a Covid-19 patient by the government while private hospitals were receiving Rs1.5m from Covid-19 patients in advance, he said, adding that trained staff under the watch of CCTV cameras were performing duties in the ward.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021