LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday expressed concern over the increase in corona patients in the province and directed the administration to strictly implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to stay on the safe side.

Talking to Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid, who met him at his office to discuss safety measures against the possible fifth Covid wave and progress on the health card programme, he said in view of the current wave, people need to be more careful.

He directed the health department to continue with its sensitisation campaign and booster doses must be expedited as the government is providing door-to-door vaccination facility.

The CM said the New Pakistan National Health Card is the flagship programme of the PTI-led government which would provide free treatment worth Rs1 million to every family in a year. Meanwhile, the number of beds has been increased from 10,000 to 30,000 under the universal healthcare programme along with enhancing the number of public and private sector hospitals [on panel] from 43 to 150, he said.

The health card will be used for the treatment of deadly diseases including cancer. In case of heart disease, hepatitis, liver disease, TB, AIDS, emergency and fracture, free treatment will be provided through private hospitals across the province, he said and announced that free medical facilities would be made available to 30m families and 115m people by March this year.

The specialised healthcare and medical education department secretary and the principal secretary to CM were also present.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2022