Al-Khidmat Foundation plays leading role in fight against Covid-19

PESHAWAR: Al-Khidmat Foundation provincial president Khalid Waqas Chamkani on Friday said the foundation was playing a leading role in providing maximum relief to the people affected by the corona pandemic directly and indirectly.

Some 75 bodies of Pakistanis brought from abroad were shifted to their native towns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Peshawar and Islamabad airports in the ambulance service of the foundation free of cost, he said while speaking at the ‘Meet-The-Press’ programme of the Peshawar Press Club. Khalid Waqas said that the foundation became active on the day one of the pandemic and was actively rendering its services since then.

At the initial stage of the pandemic, he said, they carried out a massive awareness campaign to guide the people about the disease, its hazards and preventive measures. Also, necessary preventive equipment like soap, sanitisers, masks and reading material were provided to the people, he added. Simultaneously, he maintained, the foundation put all its facilities, services and volunteers at the government’s disposal to make better use of them in case of emergency.

At least 21 hospitals of the foundation in different parts of the province, eight Aghosh homes, 91 ambulances and 7200 trained volunteers were offered to the government for better utilization whenever and wherever needed, he informed. “The government, its ministers and management officials in different district acknowledged and appreciated the services of the foundation during the epidemic,” he added.

He said that the volunteers of the foundation made every effort to reach out to all the humans irrespective of their cast, colour, creed and religion. Across the board services were provided to all the communities including the transgender, he said, adding, apart for humans even food and other were even given to animals in the forest regions of the province.

He said that the foundations kept an eye on all the sectors and all kinds of needs of the masses. Right from awareness to food distribution, treatment and arranging tests for the people, the foundation tried its best to overcome every need of the people. He further informed that the foundation has also arranged anti-bodies and corona test facilities at its hospital in the provincial metropolis where the tests are conducted on nominal charges.

The foundation, he said, also arranged protective equipment for those who were fighting in the frontline against the disease. At the government facilities, the foundation provided food and other stuff to patients, their attendants and even the healthcare providers, he said.

The foundation also signed a memorandum of understanding with the press club on the occasion under which it would provide health, education and other facilities to the deserving journalists and members of the press club. Also, anti-bodies test camp was arranged by the Peshawar-based journalists on the sidelines of the programme. Some 46 media persons took benefit of the facility.