PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is pursuing multiple strategies to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit hard two of the province’s most populous districts, says Provincial Minister for Health Taimur Khan Jhagra.

He said here on Thursday that Peshawar and Mardan had a total of 235 and 108 positive Covid-19 cases respectively while most of the other districts had either less incidences or no case of the deadly infection at all.

Addressing a joint press conference with Chief Minister’s Adviser on Media Ajmal Wazir, Mr Jhagra gave a scientific overview of the Covid-19 situation since its onset and said the infection was more prevalent in urban areas than rural.

He said that government was working on a comprehensive plan to boost diagnostic, isolation and treatment services and protect doctors, nurses and paramedics, who were braving to win the battle against the virus that hit 912 people so far besides claiming 42 lives.

The health minister said that 191 confirmed Covid-19 patients had recovered and had been sent home that was a clear manifestation of the professional competency of the health staff. He added that cases in Kohat, Buner, Swat and Dir Upper ranged from 36 to 99.

Minister says govt is pursuing multiple strategies to control pandemic

In Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kurram, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Charsadda, Hangu, Dir Lower, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi and North Waziristan cases were from 11 to 35.

He said that that Tank, South and North Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Haripur and Malakand accounted for less than 10 cases each. He added that no cases were reported in Kohistan Upper and Lower, Kolai Palas, Battagram and Chitral. The minister said that Peshawar and Mardan were the only two districts having more than 100 cases.

“We have increased the number of ventilators from 170 to 550 and per day tests. Four additional laboratories in Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad and Peshawar will start receiving swabs, besides Rehman Medical Institute and North West General Hospital. Our current capacity has increased to 600 tests per day. Khyber Medical University, our flagship centre, is doing fantastic work. By April 22, we will be doing 700 cases a day,” he said.

The minister said that distribution of essential personal protective equipments (PPEs) was an ongoing process. So far, the government ordered to procure 5,825,500 gloves and received 2,938,000 of which 778,400 had been sent to the respective hospitals besides 37,245 N-95 masks of the total 612,970 ordered by the health department, he added.

Mr Jhagra acknowledged that there had been a steady increase in cases week by week as 202 confirmed cases were reported in the week commencing on March 30 that increased to 362 in the following week. Peshawar and Mardan were the hardest hit districts, with 108 confirmed cases in Mardan and 235 confirmed cases in Peshawar, he said

The government has made five key interventions, including launching a locum tenens system, establishing rapid response teams, procuring essential medical and quarantine facilities and supplies, enhancing testing capacity and facilitating beneficiaries of Ehsaas scheme.

The minister said that response of locus system to recruit doctors, paramedics, nurses, pharmacists and other health professional was a unique approach. He added that 16,599 professional had so far registered themselves under the system.

“We will be deploying these personnel recruited through this system within a month on short term basis to fill the gaps in provision of healthcare. We have 200 medical isolation facilities with 4,093 beds and 296 quarantine centres in addition to a live dashboard to assess stock essential item in hospitals,” said Mr Jhagra.

Speaking on the occasion, Ajmal Wazir said that more than Rs 8.63 billion had been disbursed under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Transfer to benefit 690,745 families. He added that talks were in progress with traders all over the province to ensure lockdown as part of preventive strategy against Covid-19.

“The government’s social distancing measures have been effective in controlling spread of the virus, however, more cooperation is required from the public in this regard over the next two weeks,” said Mr Wazir.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2020