KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar along with Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar visited the Covid-19 Infectious Disease and Research Centre (IDRC) established at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Saturday.

Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif ur Rehman and other officials were also present. Talking to media after the visit, Mr Umar thanked the mayor for inviting him to visit the centre. He said the federal government would fully support Karachi as it is the biggest city of Pakistan.

The federal minister said that a record amount was allocated for health sector in the federal budget for fiscal year 2020-21, adding that efforts were being made across the country with assistance of respective provincial governments.

He said that basically health was a provincial subject but since “we are facing a pandemic and emergency situation, we have decided to establish 7,000 beds across the country till July 2020.

Tells Karachi mayor he will talk to Sindh CM to resolve fiscal issues of hospitals

“Out of these 7,000 beds, 500 beds will be established in Karachi. I am grateful that Abbasi Shaheed Hospital has completed its task for establishment of the beds,” he added.

Mr Umar said that a modern laboratory should also be established along with the IDRC. “The centre would fully support the KMC for upgrdation of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,” he said.

The federal minister said that he would talk to the chairman of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to ensure provision of oxygen kits for isolation ward at the KMC’s hospital.

“I will also ask Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to resolve financial issues of health institutions including Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,” he added.

‘Only LG-run hospital in country doing Covid testing’

Mayor Akhtar expressed his gratitude to the federal minister for visiting the hospital and said that they were trying to upgrade the facility for the past four years but could not do so due to shortage of funds.

He said that they got an opportunity after Covid-19 to upgrade the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, which was the third largest hospital of Karachi and catered to the poor patients not only of Karachi but entire Sindh.

The mayor said that the KMC had started coronavirus testing facility at the hospital and the people were being tested free of cost and without any discrimination.

“A laboratory is updated [while] ICUs and isolation ward are established, which is a big achievement in view of limited resources of the KMC,” he said.

Mr Akhtar added that he could proudly say that no local government in Pakistan except the KMC was testing Covid-19 patients.

“This is a gift for Karachiites from the KMC. The PDMA and federal government assisted us and our team succeeded,” he added.

The mayor also appreciated Dr Rehman, doctors, paramedics and other health workers who were combating the virus on the front line.

He said the KMC was also assisted by philanthropists.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2020