Punjab Health Dept Providing Best Treatment To COVID-19 Patients : Dr Yasmin

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st May, 2020 ) :Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that the Punjab government was providing best possible treatment to the COVID-19 patients in public sector hospitals.

Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat, here on Saturday, the minister said that data of patients, treatment, tests, medicines' procurement, and available resources was being shared with people on daily basis which was also appreciated by the Punjab Information Commission.

"As per directions from Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar all statistics of patients, tests and medicine procurement are being regularly shared on the department website to maintain transparency" minister said.

She said: "There has been an increase in the number of patients and the expenses made so far are shared on official websites with complete detail of new cases, ventilators, beds and other information." Dr Yasmin said: "Through Rescue-122, patient transfer facility to the nearest hospitals has been provided and its coordination is linked with the Central Control Room. As many as 303 ventilators are available for coronavirus patients and currently 64 critical patients are on ventilators. If symptoms appear, people must contact the Rescue-1122 instead of self-isolation at home." She said a Control Room had been set up at the Mayo Hospital where data of patients at public and private hospitals was available.

The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has introduced an 'Application' in its 'Corona Monitoring Unit' where complete information of patients, beds and facilities would be available, she added.

She said: "I reemphasize that the government is spending money on people in a transparent manner and all expenses are updated at the official website. The CEAG, under its Chairman, shares the findings and experiences of treatment of patients with the committee on daily basis." She said: "All CEAG members may talk on Corona publicly as well." She said that a mass awareness campaign was being initiated in Punjab under the directions from National Command and Control Center.

"We cannot continue the state of complete lockdown forever as even in the USA, people are in long queues for food," she said.

Due to timely action by the government, the number of patients and the ratio of mortality was much lower in Punjab when compared with the rest of the world, she said.

Dr Yasmin said that during the lockdown, the government and the philanthropists had worked together to support the people in need. She said that the entire world was doing research on finding cure for COVID-19.

Dr Mehmud Shaukat had been developed protocols for treatment which were being followed in the entire province, she added.

Talking regarding the trial on medicines, the minister said: "Hydroxychloquine has not produced the results it was billed to produce. We have started the trial of medicine Tocilizumab and positive results have been witnessed so far with 10 patients recovering," she said.

She said: "We have procured this medicine in adequate number for serious patients." She said to a question that 'Plasma Therapy' was also initially recommended and the experts in Punjab were working with Dr Tahir Shamsi for further results.

As many as 37 people were providing their plasma this week, she said.

The number of coronavirus patients had exceeded 22,500 in Punjab and by following the precautionary measures, about 30 to 40 percent cases could be stopped, she said.

To the queries of journalists, the minister said that the lockdown was announced as a last option and during the lockdown the government developed its resources to combat the pandemic.

So far an amount of Rs. 96 crore had been disbursed among the Teaching Hospitals of Punjab and overall Rs. 5 billion had been spent on coronavirus pandemic, she said and added that more than 6000 daily tests cost the government between Rs. 2.5 to 3 crore rupees. A meeting had been called to review the charges by private hospitals, she said .

The MTI Act was enforced after consultations with the YDA and it would be piloted in some institutions before being scaled up to the entire province, she said.

"I salute all doctors treating coronavirus patients, as patients are recovering with their great efforts," she said.

She said that the quarantine centers were providing necessary facilities to the patients.

"The CM is personally supervising the efforts to control coronavirus and also monitoring the services and the expenses," minister said. In case of any irregularity, immediate action will be taken, she said.

Dr Yasmin said that the Punjab Public Service Commission would start interview for the hiring of doctors, nurses and paramedics very soon while observing the Social Distancing SOPs.

She said that the government was spending billions of rupees on polio vaccines and the all parents must get their children vaccinated.

Special Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Department Ajmal Bhatti, Additional Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical education Department Dr Asif Tufail, CEO Mayo Hospital Professor Asad Aslam Khan, Chairman Corona Experts Advisory Group Dr Mehmud Shaukat, Dean Children Hospital Dr Masud Sadiq, Members CEAG Dr Sumayya Sadiq, Javed Hayat and other officials of the Department were present.