Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired an important meeting at Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department about the steps taken by the Punjab government to deal with the threat of coronavirus. The chief minister directed effective monitoring and surveillance and vigilance of different entry points. Additional staff of the health department has been deputed at airports for passengers’ screening but strict monitoring of entry points is also essential, he added. He told that cabinet committee will be constituted immediately to review coronavirus situation. This committee would be comprised of all stakeholders to daily review steps after monitoring the situation. He approved to immediately procure necessary equipment relating to coronavirus adding that Rs236 million has been released by the Punjab government. The coronavirus diagnostic facility is available in Punjab and there is no coronavirus patient in the province, he added. The meeting also decided to launch a vigorous awareness campaign. The chief minister said an isolation ward of 75 beds has been set up at PKLI and another isolation unit of 35 beds is also set up in Mayo hospital. Similarly, isolation ward is established in Services Hospital and such wards are also being set up in the hospitals of northern and southern Punjab. He directed to implement the decisions within 24 hours and a report be submitted to CM Office. He also directed to adopt all necessary precautionary measures at airports and other points. The situation is normal in Punjab but we will have to remain fully vigilant, he added. He asked the line departments to complete their preparations for dealing with any possible situation and implementation on WHO’s SOPs be ensured. Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare informed that 82 thousand cases have been surfaced in the whole world, including 78 thousand in China, and 33 thousand patients have been recovered, as well. The Punjab government set up an advance control room and Health Department, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Chughtai Lab have the coronavirus diagnostic kits. Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Samiullah Ch., Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik, Hashim Jawan Bakhat, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema MPA, Chief Secretary, ACS (Home) and others attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar visited the newly constructed emergency wards of Children Hospital and inquired after the health of the patient children. He enquired the parents about medical facilities and inspected different sections. He directed to early start the construction of OPD and diagnostic block and announced to establish a new OPD block with the direction to early complete the identification of land. The chief minister also announced that Children Hospital will be given the status of the University of Child Health adding that every city needs such institutions to save the children from diseases and to provide quality healthcare facilities. In the first phase, Children Hospital will be set up in every Division of the province and this programme will be extended in phases. Later, a child-specific hospital will be set up in every district, he added. The chief minister said the health sector reforms programme is being monitored by him and announced to further improve the standard of healthcare facilities. Many new hospitals have been started by the PTI government in Lahore, he added. The chief minister was also given a briefing about the reconstruction of the emergency ward. Talking to the media, the chief minister said that hospitals are not only revamped in Lahore but new hospitals are also being established. The PTI government laid the foundation stone of mother and child hospital in Ganga Ram hospital and PIC-II project has also been devised along with the institute of blood diseases. To a question, he said that Punjab government has taken advance steps to deal with coronavirus. The government is fully vigilant and more steps will be taken if needed. To another question, he said that permission will not be allowed to increase the prices of masks and administration is issued directions. The government has set up isolation wards and there is no coronavirus patient in Punjab, he added. Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Samiullah Ch., Secretary SH&ME and others were also present on this occasion. Separately, Usman Buzdar has sought a report from Commissioner DG Khan and Secretary Health about the detection of a polio case in Taunsa and expressed great concern over it. He directed to take effective steps by the line departments.