20,000 being vaccinated daily in Punjab: minister

LAHORE:Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said here on Wednesday that the senior citizens who got first dose of the Corona vaccine on March 10 must get second dose in time.

The minister said, “The senior citizens must visit the same centre where they got themselves vaccinated for first dose. The centres will remain open on Sunday as well. The second dose will be administered after 21 days of the first dose. The adequate vaccine is available at vaccination centres. For the vaccination of senior citizens, 126 centres have been set up in the province,” the minister said.

In the entire province, about 20,000 people are being vaccinated daily. One million more doses are from China shortly. There is no shortage of vaccine in Punjab. The registration process of vaccination of over 50 people age group has been started. The department is using all available resources for vaccination of people, she added.

Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid received donation given to three large hospitals of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department from a private organisation on Wednesday. Present on the occasion were Additional Secretary (Admin) Amir Hussain Ghazi, representative of Welfare Organisation Agahi Mubarak Ali Sarwar, CEO Nasreen Naz, Health Specialist Dr Sana and Dr Farooq Khan.

The donation includes four hand washing stations, three window curtains, 2,000 PCR test kits, four biap machines, 12 nebulaizers, 12 suction machines, 12 pulse oxymeters, four cardiac machines, and 54 PPEs. The donation has been distributed to Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital and Mian Mir Hospital.

The minister said, “I am grateful to Agahi for this donation for three hospitals. In order to beat Corona pandemic, all of us will have to work together. We are trying our best to control the pandemic. We are enhancing the capacity of the Punjab hospitals. The vaccination of senior citizens at 126 centres shall continue. Brave Pakistani nation will beat the Pandemic under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The staff at hospitals, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff is motivated to perform. I salute all martyred healthcare workers who sacrificed lines serving on the frontline.” CEO Agahi Mubarak Ali Sarwar paid rich tribute to the minister for providing improved services during the pandemic and said he will continue to support the Punjab government.

LGH: Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar has said the Punjab government has provided 16 more ventilators to Lahore General Hospital for corona patients.

The PGMI principal appreciated Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar and Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, saying they gave special instructions in this regard in the light of which a 20-bed HDU in the LGH Pulmonology Ward and a 5-bed isolation ward in Medical Unit II had also been added. Prof Al-freed said that the timely action of the government reflected the spirit of compassion and service to humanity for the patients of corona. LGH MS Dr Abdul Razzaq, Prof Judat Saleem, Dr Irfan Malik, Dr Jafar Shah, Dr Abdul Aziz and others were also present on the occasion. The LGH principal directed the administrative doctors to be alert in discharge of their duties. The provincial government is monitoring the treatment of the patients of corona all the times.