Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired the provincial apex committee meeting at his office on Thursday. The meeting was told the health department will recruit 4452 paramedics and vaccinators for corona drive while 10 oxygen generators and 200 oxygen concentrators are being provided to ensure the supply of oxygen in the province. The meeting repeated the commitment to utilize resources for dealing with the third corona wave and the military leadership assured to continue every possible cooperation with the civil government to contain the spread of corona. The apex committee decided to use all administrative actions to enforce the SOPs. It was decided that airports will remain super alert, upon arrival of international flights, and effective steps will be taken to ensure the identification of corona-positive international passengers. It was decided to increase the number of corona vaccination centres along with expediting the vaccination drive. The meeting further decided to implement the decisions through a mutual line of action. It was decided to effectively implement the closure timing of markets and bazaars through administrative measures and it was planned to devise a separate policy for overcoming the spread of coronavirus in Lahore. The CM told the vaccine was being procured with Rs. 1.5 billion through an accelerated process.
More vaccine doses will also be procured as the Punjab government is fully active to save the citizens from this virus, he added. The ratio of corona positive cases in May is 19 percent while the ratio of the positive cases in 26 districts is 8 percent or above, he added. 9456 beds are allocated for corona patients and 2642 patients were under treatment on May 19, the CM said. Meanwhile, 943 ventilators are reserved for corona patients and 422 patients are put on ventilators, he added. Meanwhile, 864987 doses are available in Punjab and a ban is imposed on business activities after 8:00 PM, the CM said. However, plying of transport is allowed with 50 percent capacity and I believe that we can overcome every challenge, concluded the CM. Corps Commander Lahore Lt. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Aziz reiterated the commitment to continue cooperation with the Punjab government adding that the provincial government's work is praiseworthy. It is a nationwide challenge and every possible assistance is extended to the civil administration, he added. The joint efforts will be made further effective because the lives of the people are important, he concluded. GOC 10 Division Major General Muhammad Aneeq-ur-Rehman Malik, DG Rangers Punjab Major General Muhammad Amir Majeed, Law Minister Raja Basharat, Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chief Secretary, IGP, ACS (Home) and high-ranking civil and military officials attended the meeting.