Effective steps taken to fight Covid-19, says governor

LAHORE:Punjab Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar has announced setting up 10 more corona telemedicine helpline centres in the province.

The governor visited various parts of Lahore without having any protocol and paid rich tributes to jawans of Pakistan Army and police performing duties at various cordoning and check-points for playing an active role in war against corona.

He also inaugurated corona telemedicine helpline centre at Sialkot through a video link at Governor House here on Thursday. Talking to the media and addressing a ceremony held in this connection, Ch Sarwar said, Alhamdulillah, today number of corona telemedicine centres in Punjab has reached up to 23.

“Today, I am also announcing establishing ten more corona telemedicine centres to guide people about prevention from corona at their homes, and if needed, more such centres will also be established,” he said and added that people not only from Punjab but also from entire Pakistan and abroad can contact with the doctors by calling at 0304-1112101 round-the-clock and they will be treated properly and given advisory/guidelines regarding anti-corona measures.

The governor said 50,000 people have so far taken guidance from these telemedicine centres. “We will not leave the masses in this difficult time and we are with them. Pakistan Army’s role in fighting corona is also exemplary. Those coming out their homes frequently and unnecessarily are not posing corona threat to themselves and to others as well, therefore, people should take corona situation seriously and do not come out of their homes.”

He said under leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the present government is taking effective and comprehensive public safety measures against corona, besides utilising all resources to provide free ration to the poor families, while government departments are ensuring foolproof security of the people for 24 hours.

Later, Governor Ch Sarwar without having any protocol visited the city areas including Jail Road, Gulberg, Barkat Market, Liberty and Hussain Chowk, and also talked to jawans of Pakistan Army and police performing duties at various cordoning and checking points. On this occasion, he said that Pakistan Army, Punjab police and other security agencies are our pride and they are on the front line in this time of trial. He said, “In Sha Allah, I am sure that Pakistani nation will win war against corona through unity and national zeal.

GCU VC: Government College University (GCU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi called on Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar at the Governor’s House and briefed him about the initiatives taken by the university in the fight against Coronavirus. Prof Asghar Zaidi requested the governor that universities like GCU Lahore had very bright minds but they needed bio-safety level 3 and 4 laboratories for research on fatal infectious diseases, including Covid-19. Besides setting up the Quarantine Facility for 364 people at its Kala Shah Kaku Campus, the vice-chancellor said, the GCU Chemistry Department had collaborated with a private company in providing 20,000 litre Chlorine Dioxide-based disinfectants to hospitals across Punjab.

The VC explained that their chemistry department had worked with the health ministry in providing 20,000-litre disinfectant spray to all parts of the Punjab; not just in Lahore but also in Rawalpindi, Multan, Muzafargarh, DG Khan and Bahawalpur. Prof Zaidi also handed over 160-litre hand sanitizer, made by GCU Chemistry Department, for doctors and paramedics and pledged to provide more 340-litre. The VC said that he was also leading an awareness campaign about special precautionary measures for elderly people as they were most likely to get seriously affected by coronavirus.