ISLAMABAD – Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal Monday said around 125 tonnes of procuredgoods comprising medical equipment, safety masks, ventilators, personalprotective equipment and other necessary items would reach from China thatwould increase Pakistan’s capacity to fight coronavirus or COVID-19outbreak.
Addressing a joint media conference here, Chairman NDMA said the Authorityhad planned a three phase strategy to carry out preventive measures againstthe COVID-19 outbreak whereas in the first there were three main objectivesto mainly ensure proper checking of foreigners and overseas Pakistaniscoming to the country, detection of COVID-19 and ensure that they did nottransfer virus to others.
The chairman NDMA was flanked by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister onNational Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (SAPM) Dr ZafarMirza, SAPM on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf and Minister for NationalFood Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar.
He said initially 15 days were taken to make sure the above facilities atall the airports of the country and the major issue faced in this endeavourwas lack of personal protective equipment for health workers.
“We planned to provide it to the health workers by April 5 whereas it wouldbe supplied by 30 March.”
General Afzal informed that the Authority was in contact with vendors inChina in Pakistan Embassy through video link to procure the testing kits,ventilators and other goods, however, negotiations were underway to get theitems.
He thanked the governor State Bank of Pakistan for opening one windowdespite a holiday to get the amounts paid to the Chinese vendors forgetting the medical equipment. “At least, four banks are active at themoment to assist NDMA for the transactions to be carried out and before theday ends NDMA will send the money to all the vendors in China.”
In the second phase, he said around 100 ventilators were to be arrangedwhich would be augmented to 1,200 and then 4,000 ventilators across thecountry in the third phase. China, he said had already given 15 ventilatorswhereas 14 tonnes of personal protective equipment, some ventilators wouldbe sent on Friday as told by the Chinese Ambassador.
He extended his felicitation to the media that NDMA’s engineer had prepareda local design of ventilator which would be demonstrated before him today.
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Moreover, the Authority officials were also busy in preparing pollutionmasks, N-95 masks and safety gowns. NDMA experts had also preparednecessary chemicals and sanitizers whereas the stock position would furtherboost our capacity in the next month.
“We want to increase our testing capacity to 1-1.5 million tests whereafter receiving the procured medical equipment our country in a month willbe in the position to fight this pandemic,” said the Chairman NDMA.
He said Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft would bring theprocured goods and a team Chinese experts would also come in the same plane.
The Chinese experts would visit our provinces and analyze our arrangementsand would guide to further improve our efforts against the coroanvirusoutbreak, he added.
He appreciated the efforts of Chinese people and overseas Pakistanis andsaid, “Many brothers in China have helped us to get the items.”
General Afzal also informed that the owner of Alibaba (Mr Jack Ma) wasgoing to provide us 5 lac safety masks on Wednesday whereas on the next day50,000 testing kits for Cornoavirus would be sent to Pakistan.
He said the government, NDMA and ministry of health services, regulationsand coordination were working collectively to beat COVID-19.He also congratulated the nation on Pakistan Day.
