Getz Pharma set to disinfect thousands of health facilities, screen over 25,000 doctors

KARACHI: Getz Pharma announced Tuesday that it is set to disinfect over 8,000 clinics, 650 hospital wards and conduct free screening tests of more than 25,000 doctors across Pakistan.

In a statement, the company said that these measures were being taken under its “Care for Heroes” initiative to combat coronavirus in healthcare facilities.

"In order to minimise the risk of this contagion at clinics and hospitals, Getz Pharma will regularly be disinfecting these venues for the next six months using CHEMGENE HLD4, a WHO approved chemical, which is a proven disinfectant against coronavirus," the statement read.

The pharmacutical company will also provide personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks, sanitisers, and gloves and conduct free coronavirus antibody screening tests of over 25,000 doctors especially in isolation centres to ensure the safety of health care professionals fighting on the frontlines to combat the pandemic.

"More than 100 clinics across Karachi have been disinfected under this initiative and the company will soon be extending this effort to other cities," said the company in its statement.

According to the press release, the first hospital disinfection drive took place at Karachi's Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) which covered 28 wards, 96 doctor’s hostel rooms, around 200 houses in the doctor’s colony, out-patient departments (OPDs), emergency rooms, and duty rooms.

Appreciating the initiative, Executive Director JPMC Dr. Seemin Jamali said: “We at JPMC are very grateful to Getz Pharma who has come forward in arranging holistic sanitisation of our premises in the wake of COVID-19. We truly appreciate [their] help."

Earlier this month, Managing Director and CEO of Getz Pharma Khalid Mahmood met Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to discuss strategies to help those affected by the pandemic.

"The company has donated more than 1.9 million Hydroxychloroquine tablets, 15,000 testing kits and over 1,500 PPEs to the Sindh government and is also supporting research on the fast-track development of COVID-19 treatment in Pakistan," according to the press release.

“During these unprecedented times, the private-sector should step up and shoulder the responsibility of the government to control the spread of this virus especially from the hotspots like clinics and hospitals,” said the Getz Pharma CEO.