ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulation and Coordination was informed on Wednesday that 2.4 percent rise was witnessed in the Covid-19 cases, and it needed to be taken seriously.

The parliamentary panel met with Sikandar Mandhro in the chair, here on Wednesday, where detailed briefing was given on the current wave of the Covid-19 on a point of public importance regarding “outbreak of coronavirus and precautionary measures in Pakistan,” raised by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada.

Discussing the rise in Covid-19 cases; the committee was informed that a 2.4 percent rise has been observed, which even though not alarming, must be taken seriously.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Services Regulation and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan stated that gatherings were the main cause of virus spread. School compliance levels were high, he added.

He asserted that provinces must take stringent measures to ensure Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) implementation.

The committee recommended that the Health Ministry must take strong measures to ensure availability of masks to the masses for free.

If not, at least steps must be taken to ensure affordability.

The matter was disposed of. The committee took up the issue of grant of budget honoraria arrears to the medical and para-medical staff working in the dispensary of the Parliament House announced by the Finance Minister for all the employees serving under the umbrella of the Parliament House Building for the year of 2018 and 2019 during Budget Sessions, forwarded by Senator Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani.

The committee took serious notice of the summary pending for the past 11 months.

Dr Sultan assured the committee that he would look into the matter personally and ensure that it was sorted out at the earliest. The committee directed that all correspondence and documentation regarding this issue must be submitted to the committee, and representatives of the ECC and the Finance Ministry must be summoned.

Deliberating over the issue of transfer of doctors in Polyclinic, the committee was assured that all details will be submitted to the committee within two weeks.

The meeting was attended by Senator Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Senator Dr Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Liaqat Khan Tarakai, Senator Dr Ashok Kumar, and senior officers from the Ministry of Health along with all concerned.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020