Adequate vaccine available, says Dr Yasmin Rashid

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said here on Wednesday that vaccination of above 50 age group is going on at full pace and more than 115,000 between the age group of 59-60 were vaccinated.

The minister said a day earlier, more than 40,000 citizens were vaccinated in all centres. Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the process flow is being closely monitored and more vaccination counters are being added.

She said more vaccination centres will be added as citizens are turning up in overwhelming numbers at centres. She said adequate amount of vaccine is available for citizens. She said the number of patients is being increased. People are requested to follow SOPs. She said uninterrupted vaccine supply is being ensured at all centres. For any queries, she added, people may call up 1033.

Meanwhile, Punjab has opened walk-in vaccination of over 50 age group and a large number of people turned up for vaccination at Expo Center Vaccination centre here on Wednesday. According to a handout issued here on Wednesday, the government has opened vaccination of over 40 years of age group. In the last 24 hours, more than 40,000 people were vaccinated. Elderly citizens have expressed satisfaction on the arrangement of vaccination at Expo Centre. They said the staff is providing excellent services.

DG Rescue services Rizwan Naseer visited the vaccination centre and reviewed the arrangements. Very good arrangements have been made at the Expo Center. All institutions are collaborating very well to fight the pandemic, he said.

219,408 recover: The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED), Punjab, has informed that around 219,408 corona patients recovered in public sector hospitals, while 578 patients recovered during the last 24 hours.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, SHC&MED Secretary Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan said that 7,074 beds were reserved in all govt hospitals for corona patients, out of which 4,108 beds were unoccupied. Likewise, 1,612 beds reserved in government hospitals of the provincial metropolis and 794 beds were vacant so far, he added. The Secretary SHC&MED added that in view of the surging corona pandemic, the Specialised Healthcare Department has arranged 3,285 beds in isolation wards of all government hospitals in the province, out of which, 2,330 beds were vacant. However, 439 beds for corona patients are reserved in isolation wards set up in public sector hospitals of Lahore and 309 beds are unoccupied. In addition, 3,067 beds are also reserved in HDU for patients suffering from COVID-19 in all the hospitals of Punjab government and 1,499 beds are vacant while, in hospitals of Lahore, 903 beds reserved in HDU and 449 beds are unoccupied, Nabeel Awan added.

The Secretary SHC said the health department had arranged 772 ventilators for corona patients in all hospitals of the provincial government, of which 434 ventilators were under use while 288 are unoccupied. Around 270 ventilators are reserved in Lahore hospitals.