Govt providing best possible treatment to COVID-19 patients : Dr Yasmin Rashid

Lahore : Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid has said that the Punjab government is providing best possible treatment to COVID-19 patients in Public Sector Hospitals, all required resources are available and the government is reviewing the situation every 24 hours. Speaking at a Press Conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat, the Minister said that data on number of patients, treatment, tests, medicine procurement and available resources is being shared with people on daily basis which was appreciated by the Punjab Information Commission.

Present at the Press Conference were Special Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Department Ajmal Bhatti, Additional Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Dr. Asif Tufail, CEO Mayo Hospital Professor Asad Aslam Khan, Chairman Corona Experts Advisory Group Dr. Mehmud Shaukat, Dean Children Hospital Dr. Masud Sadiq, Members CEAG Dr. Sumayya Sadiq, Javed Hayat and other officials of the Department. 

Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that there were rumours and speculations in media about the treatment and other facilities related to the Corona situation and the facts needed to be shared with people. As per directions from the Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Minister said, all figures and statistics of patients, tests and medicine procurement are being regularly shared on the department website to maintain transparency. There has been an increase in the number of patients and the expenses made so far are routinely shared on official websites with complete detail of new cases, ventilators, beds and other information. 

The Minister said, “Through Rescue1122, patient transfer facility to nearest hospitals has been provided and its coordination is linked with the Central Control Room. As many as 303 ventilators are available for Corona patients and currently 64 critically ill patients are on ventilators. If symptoms appear, people must contact the Rescue 1122 instead of self-isolation at home. On direction from the Chief Minister Punjab, a Control Room has been set up at the Mayo Hospital where data of patients at Govt and private hospitals are available. The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has introduced an App in its Corona Monitoring Unit where complete information of patients, beds and facilities will be available.” 

The Minister further said, “I reemphasize that the government is spending public money on people in a transparent manner and all expenses are routinely updated at the official website. The CEAG, under its Chairman, shares the findings and experiences of treatment of patients with the committee on daily basis. All CEAG members may talk on Corona publicly as well. A mass awareness campaign is being initiated in Punjab under directions from the National Command and Control Center. We cannot continue the state of complete lockdown forever as even in the USA, people are in long queues for food. Due to timely action by the government, the number of patients and the ratio of mortality is much lower in Punjab when compared with the rest of the world. During the lockdown, the government and the philanthropists have worked together to support the people in need. The entire world is doing research on finding cure for COVID-19. Dr. Mehmud Shaukat has developed Protocols for treatment which is being followed in the entire province. 

Talking on the trial on medicines, the Minister said, “Hydroxychloquine has not produced the results it was billed to produce. We have started the trial of medicine Tocilizumab and positive results have been witnessed so far with 10 patients recovering. The medicine costs Rs. 120,000 per day for a patient. We have procured this medicine in adequate number for serious patient. Plasma Therapy was also initially recommended and our experts in Punjab are working with Dr. Tahir Shamsi for further results of this therapy. As many as 37 people are providing their plasma this week and these trials will be further researched this week. The number of Corona patients have exceeded 22,500 in Punjab and by following the precautionary measures, about 30 to 40 % cases can be stopped.” 

Responding to the queries of journalists, the Minister said that the lockdown was announced as a last option and during the lockdown the government developed its resources to combat the Pandemic during the time. So far an amount of Rs. 96 crore have been disbursed among the Teaching Hospitals of Punjab and overall Rs. 5 billion has been spent on Corona Pandemic. More than 6000 daily tests cost the government between Rs. 2.5 to 3 crore rupees. A meeting has been called to review the charges by private hospitals. In the middle of Corona Emergency, the strike call by YDA is inexplicable. Nobody will be allowed to disrupt the treatment of Corona patients in Punjab. The MTI Act was enforced after consultations with the YDA and it will be piloted in some institutions before being scaled up to the entire province. “I salute all doctors treating Corona patients as patients are recovering with their great efforts. In the middle of the Pandemic, the department is also providing all routine services to the patients. The quarantine centers are providing necessary facilities to the patients. The Chief Minister is personally supervising the efforts to control Corona and is monitoring the services and the expenses. In cases of any irregularity, immediate action will be taken.” 

The Minister also said that the Punjab Public Service Commission will start interview for the hiring of doctors, nurses and paramedics very soon while observing the Social Distancing SOPs. She also said that the government spends billions on polio vaccines and the all parents must get their children vaccinated.