Lockdown helped limit Covid-19 spread: KP minister

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health and Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra on Wednesday said the lockdown had helped limit the transmission of the Covid-19 and the government was now entering the next phase of the fight against the pandemic.

Speaking at a news conference at the Civil Secretariat here, he said the lockdown helped reduce the number of deaths due to coronavirus.

He said that 160 to 200 Covid-19 cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last 10 days. He added that in the last two weeks, 10 to 12 persons died from the coronavirus. He said that six persons lost their lives on Wednesday.

The minister said the death ratio had been reduced due to the lockdown that was enforced on March 23.

During the last six to seven weeks lockdown, Taimur Jhagra said the death ratio had been reduced to 10 percent from 300 percent. However, he said this problem would stay for some time.

He said there was no other option except for easing the lockdown.

Referring to the earlier death ratio, the minister said there should have been 1,080 deaths by now but the death ratio had come down due to the timely steps taken by the government.

He said the government provided 5,598 beds at the 200 isolation centres and 358 quarantine centres. He said more than 550 ventilators were available in the province.

“We have to increase testing capacity,” he said, adding, the recovery ratio in KP was 31 percent higher than other provinces. The health minister said that the other diseases were also causing deaths.

He said the lockdown was not a permanent solution to the coronavirus pandemic. “We would have to change our attitude and way of life. Decisions would be taken according to the existing situation,” he argued.

Taimur Jhagra said the government was not imposing fine on people for not wearing facemasks. He said that 70 percent virus could be blocked by wearing masks.

H said precautionary measures would have to be followed during the Eidul Fitr festival and at shopping centres and work places to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The minister expressed satisfaction over performance of the medical staff and said he had sought details of the resignations by some doctors.

He said KP was the first province which released its entire ADP in December and did not deduct any fund. He said their utilization of funds till February was a record but coronavirus and the lockdown affected it.

He said salaries and promotion issues of doctors, nurses and paramedics were being addressed on a priority basis. He said salary issues of the new inductees were being resolved on priority basis.

He said the personal protective equipment (PPE) did not provide 100 percent protection against coronavirus and precautionary measures were imperative to stay safe from the virus.

“I have promised the Insaf Doctors Forum and other health related associations that promotion issues of doctors, paramedics, nurses and other health staff would be addressed,” he said.

The minister said pension issue of 500 senior doctors had been resolved when it surfaced after the death of ENT specialist Dr Muhammad Javed of the Hayatabad Medical Complex.

The minister said doctors and paramedics were fighting against coronavirus on frontlines and the entire nation held their services in high esteem.

He said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had announced that next budget of the KP government would focus on improving healthcare facilities in the province.