Sindh CM approves purchase of COVID-19 testing kits, ventilators
Murad Ali Shah also approved purchase of RT Lamp Testing Machines and 10,000 RT Lamp Kits
KARACHI (Web Desk) – Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday approved purchase of 290 ventilators, 3.2 million Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), 100 Rapid Kit Antigen Test Machines, 100,000 testing kits, 50 RT Lamp Testing Machines and 10,000 RT Lamp Kits and 29 portable X-ray machines so that testing capacity in Sindh could be enhanced.
The decision was taken while presiding over 28th Task Force meeting on Coronavirus on Wednesday at CM s House. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisor, chief secretary, IG Police, concerned provincial secretaries, representatives of WHO, Aga Khan, Indus Hospital, Corps-5, Rangers, PDMA, FIA, Airport, Civil aviation and focal person of the taskforce.
During the meeting, it was informed to the participants that in the Sindh health department out of 484 ventilators, 353 are working, 52 are out of order, 43 are yet to be installed while 21 are being purchase.
The chief minister said that we need 5000 more ventilators to meet any emergency but in the first phase he approved purchase of 290 more ventilators. He also approved purchase of 100 machines and 100,000 antigen testing kits and directed the health department to place the order right now.
Murad Ali Shah also approved purchase of RT Lamp Testing Machines and 10,000 RT Lamp Kits and issued directives for ensuring the delivery of the machines and kits.
Shah was told that the health department has conducted 3718 tests, of them 3304 were declared negative while 413 diagnosed as positive while 485 results are pending.
It may be noted that out of 413 cases, 148 are of Karachi and other districts and 265 of pilgrims. There are 94 local transmission cases in the province. At present 10 persons are in isolation at their homes. Out of 413 positive cases 145 belong to Karachi, 265 Sukkur, one Dadu and two to Hyderabad.
The chief minister directed health department to release 68 COVID-19 negative persons from the Isolation center but keep their data in the record.
In Karachi there are 144 cases, of them 90 are local and 54 travelled from abroad. The public sector hospitals reported 1874 suspect cases, of them 93 were tested. The private hospital reported 702 cases and 27 of them were tested.
The chief minister was told that on his instructions 2366 nurses have been issued offer order while the recruitment process of 1000 doctors and 500 Lab Technicians was in progress.
