CM opens coronavirus testing lab at Ayub Teaching Hospital

ABBOTTABAD/MANSEHRA: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood on Wednesday inaugurated a state-of-the-art coronavirus testing laboratory at the Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) on Wednesday.

“I personally came here to know the situation on the ground. Our capacity of coronavirus testing in the public sector has increased from 40 to 1,000 and we are trying our best to upgrade the facility to 5000 tests per day”, said the chief minister addressing the gathering after formally inauguration the lab.

Chief Minister was accompanied by KP Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, provincial ministers Akbar Ayub Khan, Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, IGP Sanaullah Abbasi, Secretary Health Syed Imtiaz Shah, Hazara Commissioner Zaheerul Islam, DIG Hazara Qazi Jamilur Rehman, and MNA Ali Khan Jadoon.

He said that services and hard work of the frontline healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses and paramedics cannot be denied who were diagnosing and treating the Covid-19 in all over the country.

Mahmood Khan expressed satisfaction at the arrangements made in the Hazara division to deal with the coronavirus. He praised the healthcare providers, administration, police and the rescue workers.

The chief minister said that KP government would establish testing laboratories at the divisional level.

He said the ATH is the largest hospital of the Hazara Division and assured that the KP government would meet all basic needs and requirements of the hospital to provide maximum healthcare to the patients. Earlier, he was briefed by Medical Director Dr Ahsan Aurangzeb on the treatment of the coronavirus patients.

He was informed that a separate block for the coronavirus patients had been established which included Intensive Care Unit and Isolation Ward.

The chief minister later attended a briefing at the Deputy Commissioner office Abbottabad.

Hazara Commissioner Zaheerul Islam gave the briefing about the healthcare facilities and efforts to control the spread of coronavirus.

Mahmood Khan also visited the Kunj Quarantine Centre.

Meanwhile, a delegation of traders called on the chief minister at the New Circuit House at Manshera as he reached the district after visiting Abbottabad.

The traders demanded reopening of business and shops.

“You are our people and we want to address your problems on a priority basis. We do whatever we can for you as we have already been working on standard operating procedures to make things easier for you”, said Mahmood Khan while talking to the delegation.

The chief minister, who led the meeting of local lawmakers and heads of government departments, said his government didn’t want to create such an environment where people and traders suffer but whatever the government was doing was in people interest.

After the meeting, Mahmood Khan visited the 40-room quarantine centre, established by district administration at the Girls Elementary College at Ghazikot. Assistant Commissioner Tillat Fahad briefed him on precautionary measures being taken to contain the Covid-19 spread.

The official said major influx was from Tablighee Markaz, Shatay and Gari wall localities, adding the three areas had been sealed.

The chief minister visited King Abdullah Teaching Hospital where Medical Superintendent Dr Shahzad Ali Khan briefed him about the patients and the services being provided to them.