KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that to counter the coronavirus situation, the local government department has decided to purchase more than one million soaps and distribute them among the public as one of the basic preventive measures.

The provincial minister said that the Sindh government would take all those possible necessary steps that would be essential to keep the people safe from the coronavirus threat.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nasir Shah said that directives had been issued to every union council and union committee to purchase soaps worth Rs100,000.

The provincial minister said that the soaps would be purchased and distributed to the public soon so their use could help protect people from the effects of coronavirus.

He said that campaign regarding distribution of soaps would be publicised largely through media so that people could get them easily as soon as possible.

Mr Shah said that in the first phase all union councils would purchase soaps worth Rs100,000, after which, if needed, the campaign would be extended gradually.

There are 1,175 union councils and 351 union committees in Sindh. Mr Shah further said that people should not be worried about the spread of coronavirus as at this moment the situation was under control.

He said the Sindh government was in a state of high alert.

The provincial minister said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was personally monitoring the situation and he had also issued clear instructions to all members of his cabinet in this regard.

He said the only way to remain safe from getting affected by the coronavirus was to take precautions.

The more careful people were, the more they would remain safe from the effects of this virus, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2020