KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has cancelled the Eid holidays of medical officials, nursing departments and paramedical staff across the province.
According to a notification issued on Friday, Eid holidays have been canceled across Sindh for all healthcare workers on the government of Sindh’s payroll, that is, in view of the rising Covid trend.
The government ordered medical staff to remain present at hospitals to provide medical facilities to the masses. “Except for the three gazetted Eid days, from 13- to 15 May, the vaccination centers will remain open on all federally announced holidays,” read the notification.
The department also ordered all-district and tehsil headquarter hospital heads to set up special monitoring teams to check the attendance of doctors. It also directed them to take action, under the Sindh Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (SEEDA) Act, against doctors absent from duty.
On May 3, the interior ministry had announced that the Eidul Fitr holidays will be observed throughout the country from May 10 to 15.
The development comes after National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) recommended that Eidul Fitr holidays in Pakistan should be observed from May 10-15.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, the COVID-19 standard operating procedures for Eid have already been issued. This year’s Eid comes as Pakistan struggles to contain the third wave of coronavirus infections.
NCOC, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, also announced comprehensive guidelines by the name of “STAY HOME-STAY SAFE — Eid-ul-Fitr-2021 from 8-16 May 2021”.
The guidelines issued by the NCOC said, “All markets, businesses and shops will remain closed, except essential services such as grocery stores, medical stores, hospitals, vaccination centres, vegetable, fruit and meat shops, bakeries, petrol pumps, food takeaways and media houses.”
