Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar Sunday asked Sindh government to provide coronavirus test facility at one of three public sector hospitals in district Central and West to cater over 10 million people residing there.
In a statement issued here, Akhtar also demanded of the provincial government to provide precautionary dress and kits to doctors and paramedical staff.
He said that coronavirus tests are being conducted at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Indus Hospital and Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi but these hospitals cannot cater the entire city especially the people of District Central and West.
"People of District Central and West were unable to go to these hospitals due closure of Public transport. A hospital from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Sindh government hospital New Karachi and Qatar Hospital Orangi Town could be provided coronavirus test facility," he added.
The Mayor was of the view that more people will have to be tested in coming week that's why one of these hospitals should be given test facility. He said that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was facing shortage of funds, asking the Sindh government to provide kits and other facilities to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital which could cater both the districts.
"The people of Orangi Town, Manghopir, Banaras, Pahar Ganj, Nusrat Bhutto Colony, Aligarh Colony and other less privileged areas cannot afford to go far as most of the people are daily wagers. If they are not provided the facility nearby, their miseries might be increased," he added.
Waseem Akhtar tendered all-out support to federal and provincial governments on behalf of more than 300 elected representatives of local bodies to face this critical situation. He once again appealed to the philanthropists to come forward and help the needy ones, adding that local bodies' representatives could be approached for identifying the poor.