PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to use the newly construct­ed building of Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for the treatment of Corona patients and the health depart­ment has been directed to take neces­sary steps on war footing in order to en­sure availability of the required trained human resource including doctors, paramedics and nurses to make the hospital operational without any delay.

The decision was taken in a meeting of Provincial Task Force on COVID-19 held with Chief Minister Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa in the chair. The meeting also gave go ahead to the health department to conduct walk-in-interviews for hir­ing of human resource of different cad­res for the treatment of Corona infect­ed patients. Similarly, communication and works department, PTCL and PE­SCO have also been directed to ensure immediate utility connections in the building of PIC.

Provincial Health Minister Tai­mur Jhagra, Minister Labour Shokat Yousafzai, Advisor to CM on Informa­tion Ajmal Wazir, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood, Chief Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz, Addi­tional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, Inspector General Police Khyber Pa­khtunkhwa Sanaullah Abbasi, admin­istrative secretaries of concerned de­partments and other relevant high ups attended the meeting.

The meeting was briefed on the latest situation of COVID-19 across the prov­ince, enforcement of smart lockdown, progress made so far to enhance the capacity of public sector hospitals and other matters related to Corona pan­demic. The meeting stressed the need to make the smart lockdown more ef­fective and ensure strict implementa­tion of SoPs in markets directing the di­visional and district administrations to take appropriate steps to this effect.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister directed that issue of SoPs violation be taken up with the elect­ed representatives of trader commu­nity and they should be given a couple of days for ensuring the implementa­tion of SoPs in their respective markets. He said even then if SoPs are violated in any market then such markets be im­mediately closed down.

The meeting also underlined the need to devise effective strategy to contain possible outbreak of Corona pandem­ic during the upcoming Eid ul Adha and constituted a committee headed by Secretary Home for the purpose. It was also decided that cattle markets would be established only in the specif­ic areas under proper SoPs for buying and selling of sacrificial animals. Brief­ing about the capacity enhancement of public sector hospitals of the province, the meeting was informed that public healthcare capacity for critical care pa­tients has been significantly increased whereas steps are being taken on emer­gency footings to further increase the capacity.

The Chief Minister directed that cen­tral control room should be integrated with all the hospitals further directing that focal persons of all teaching hos­pitals should be nominated in order to utilize the ICU and HDU beds allocated for the COVID-19 patients in possible best manners.

The meeting was informed that with the support of National Disas­ter Management Authority, 450 beds would be added to the current capac­ity of Peshawar Institute of Cardiolo­gy, Women & Children Hospital Rajjar, Charsadda and Women & Children block Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbot­tabad. 40 ICU beds, 110 HDU beds and 100 isolation beds would be provid­ed to Peshawar Institute of Cardiolo­gy by mid of July.