Punjab trains KP, Balochistan rescuers to handle coronavirus cases

PESHAWAR: The rescuers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were imparted a specialised training course to handle the coronavirus infected people professionally in case of pandemic in the country.

The Emergency Services Academy, Lahore, had arranged the training for the rescue personnel of the two provinces, said a press release on Saturday. It said that Punjab Emergency Service Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer had suspended all training activities after the declaration of corona emergency but a specialised short training course was organised for emergency services of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to deal people infected by the viral disease professionally.

Around 336 rescuers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 144 from Balochistan received training in small batches in an open environment to avoid contact. Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Dr Rizwan congratulated the rescuers on successful completion of training and becoming part of the rescue family. He said that they should have to immediately go and manage the challenge of coronavirus emergencies.

The senior official hoped that they would be able to safely respond to the coronavirus emergency after this training. The Emergency Services Academy is providing technical assistance to other provinces for the establishment of this lifesaving emergency service in their respective provinces.

Earlier, the rescuers demonstrated their professional skills of dealing with coronavirus emergencies, daily safe practices drill and safe and professional handling procedures of suspected coronavirus victims, social distancing from others, wearing of personal protective equipment like facemask, goggles, gloves and overall, responding to suspected victims and safe decontamination of rescuers and emergency equipment.