Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has urged the World Bank (WB) to allow the government to utilise $11 million saved from different WB projects for the installation of an oxygen plant and procurement of Covid-19-related equipment.

In a meeting with a WB delegation led by WB Country Director Najy Benhassine, he said the provincial government had managed to save $11m from various WB funded projects and asked if they could be "re-appropriated for the establishment of an oxygen plant and procurement of Covid-related equipment and gadgets".

The WB country chief responded that the request was "legitimate" and would be considered favourably.

The chief minister said the pandemic had become a very "serious issue" and preparedness to provide proper healthcare was required. He added that medical facilities similar to the infectious diseases hospital in Karachi would be established at all divisional headquarters and the Sindh government planned to procure 500 more ventilators for hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.