SIALKOT - Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that COVID-19 pandemic situation in the province is improving, as the number of coronavirus positive cases is decreasing gradually.

Talking to the media here at the inaugural ceremony of a Level-3 free laboratory for coronavirus patients tests here on Thursday, she said the number of coronavirus patients had also decreased in Sialkot district.

She said that 19 districts of the province were now free-of-coronavirus pandemic and so far about 92,000 cases had been reported in the province.  She disclosed that PC-1 of a mother and child hospital of 200-bed in Sialkot had been finalised while the project would be completed with Rs 4 billion.  She said the government would construct hospitals in five districts, adding that 50 per cent seats of doctors were lying vacant when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had taken over the charge. During the last over two years, the PTI government recruited 15,000 doctors.

She said the government increased salaries of doctors and issued 7.2 million Sehat Cards.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Usman Dar said on the occasion that the previous governments did nothing in the health sector. However, he added, the incumbent government was resolving the issues at the doorstep of masses.

He said there was not a single ventilator in the city before the PTI government and now 57 ventilators had been provided at Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital, Sialkot.