Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to take all possible measures for provision of facilities to coronavirus affected people and keep him informed regularly about the situation.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting about situation of coronavirus in Punjab after visiting central control room and quarantine centre set up here for the Zaireen coming from Iran. The prime minister also inquired after the Zaireen.

Chief Secretary Punjab briefed the prime minister about the situation of coronavirus in the province. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, special assistants Dr Zarfar Mirza, Dr Moeed Yusuf, Dr Shahbaz Gill, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman, chief secretary Punjab, inspector general of police Punjab and other senior officials.

The prime minister directed the provincial government to inform people regularly about what arrangements were being made to control coronavirus.

The prime minister said besides provision of facilities to those at the isolation centres, there should be screening arrangements for them as well. The chief secretary Punjab briefed the prime minister about monitoring of the availability of essential commodities in the markets and union councils in the wake of coronavirus situation and future strategy in that regard. The prime minister directed the chief secretary and IGP to identify all those profiteers and hoarders who want to take undue benefits from this situation and take strict action against them. The prime minister directed them to review their steps according to the changing situation and formulate an effective strategy so that the people could not face any kind of disturbance.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Dera Ghazi Khan to oversee arrangements aimed at controlling COVID-19 in the country. On the occasion, the Zaireen expressed their pleasure over the arrival of prime minister and satisfaction on the provision of facilities.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government is determined to ensure easy availability of life saving drugs along with other essential medicines at affordable prices because it attached high priority to the life of its people.

The prime minister chaired a meeting in Islamabad over the availability of necessary drugs in the country, and the role, functions and responsibility of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to determine suitable prices, the PM office media wing in a press release said.

The prime minister was given a detailed briefing over the availability of essential medicines especially of life saving drugs and the price mechanism etc. The meeting also discussed in detail the steps over performance of DRAP, measures aimed at making it more efficient, eradication of corruption and other malpractices.

The prime minister underlined the main role of DRAP as the regulator of medicines. He said efforts for making DRAP further efficient should be expedited while the manpower requirement of the authority at the administrative level be addressed on priority basis.