ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has visited the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for COVID-19 in Islamabad today (Thursday).
According to a press release, PM Imran was briefed over the federal government’s strategic response to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
Prime Minister AJ &K, Chief Minister of all provinces, attended the meeting via video link. Apart from the federal ministers, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present at the occasion.
The premier directed the concerned authorities to ensure the availability of medicines, oxygen, and beds in hospitals across the country. “All possible efforts must remain focused on controlling the disease spread,” PM added.
PM Imran, while lauding the role of NCOC, said that Pakistan has navigated COVID-19 in a balanced manner. However, he cautioned everyone for the utmost care.
“We need a unified and well-coordinated joint national response to fight the disease during the next couple of months; our actions will determine the extent of the crisis and success of our response through consensus,” stated the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also paid tributes to the sacrifices of healthcare workers. The Prime Minister said that media has performed responsibly so far, any tendency to sensationalise must be self-checked by them.
The Prime Minister was briefed by Federal Minister Asad Umar and Major General Asif Mehmood Goraya, DG Operations & Planning NCOC on the analysis of patterns of COVID-19 spread, pressure on hospitals, fatalities, and future projections.
PM Imran was also briefed on the steps taken so far regarding curtailing the spread of COVID-19 across the country, enforcement of SOPs, and strategy regarding the management of disease and implementation of decisions in coordination with all the stakeholders.
The participants were especially apprised of the gaps identified and measures being taken for improvement in the healthcare system of the country to cope with the challenge, capacity building of the healthcare professionals, increased availability of beds for the patients, uninterrupted availability of crucial medicines, and sufficient supplies of oxygen.
It was reiterated that while businesses must remain open, strict implementation of SOPs will be ensured through awareness and administrative actions.
The forum was also briefed on the use of digital technology for contact tracing and disease projection. It was informed that during the last four days, there is a decline in the number of positive cases.
Chief Ministers of all the provinces and Prime Minister AJ&K briefed the forum about the steps being taken in their respective areas and unanimously acknowledged the support provided by the Centre in all respects.
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