COVID-19: Gujranwala DHQ demands more ventilators

It may be recalled that Deputy Commissioner Gujranwala had written a letter to the provincial government on April 28 to send 40 ventilators to the DHQ hospital after filling the ventilators with 100% patients.

Forty cardiac monitors and four X-ray machines were also requested in the letter. However, despite the emergency, ventilators along with cardiac monitors and X-ray machines could not reach the infirmary.

On the other hand, 96 ventilators are empty in the Gujranwala division out of which 10 ventilators in the city are defective, while 27 in Gujrat, 46 in Sialkot, 4 in Narowal and Hafizabad and 4 in Mandi Bahauddin are empty.

In such a situation, the failure of the provincial government to send ventilators seven days after the letter was written and the non-use of vacant vents at the divisional level is the worst example of government incompetence.

Earlier, in the morning, to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the Punjab government has decided to impose a complete lockdown in the province starting from May 8 to 16.

According to details, to restrict movement in the province all types of public transport and tourist destinations will remain closed during the Eid holidays.

Checkpoints will be set up at the entrances and exits of cities, with police, rangers and the army deployed at checkpoints.

Punjab Health Minister said that the next 15 to 20 days are very important to control the COVID rampant and requested citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during the holidays.

The minister appealed to people to support the government's efforts to control the deadly virus and celebrate Eid with simplicity.

Take precautionary measures and prove to be responsible citizens, she snivelled.

On the other hand, Punjab Chief Secretary directed that parks and tourist places be kept completely closed during the Eid holidays.

On Wednesday, Pakistan has reported 119 Covid-related fatalities and 4,113 new cases in one day as the country is presently experiencing the third wave of coronavirus which is said to be deadlier and more contagious than the previous two waves.

According to National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), around 4,113 cases of coronavirus were reported while 119 people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 18,429.

The total number of confirmed cases reached 841,636.