COVID Watch (6th April 2020)

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COVID Watch

Doctors arrested
Quetta police arrested over 100 doctors and paramedics who were protesting against the lack of PPE kits in Balochistan. The use of batons resulted in several injuries, YDA Balochistan has announced to boycott certain services in the hospitals.

PMDC restoration
Federal govt’s reluctance to restore PMDC puts the career of thousands of Pakistani doctors at risk and weakens efforts to fight COVID-19. Doctors demand implementation IHC open PMDC’s head office in ICT and its regional offices so that 15000 new doctors can be inducted.

Food riots
400 ration bags for daily-wagers at Niaz Stadium looted by armed men & a mob from a truck in a locality of Hyderabad, Sindh on Sunday. Similar incidents reported in various parts of Sindh including Latifabad and Sukkur where ration bags for distribution were looted by mobs.

Pilgrims quarantined
31 pilgrims have been quarantined at centers of Rawalpindi and Taxila. They were brought in from the Taftan border. Campuses of Arid Agriculture, UET and multiple state rented hotels are being used as quarantine centers for pilgrims.

Punjab lock-down
Chinese doctors suggested the Punjab government extend the lock-down for 28 days to save the province from COVID-19. Use of plasma and the 3 anti-viral medicines have proven to be curative & effective in saving the lives of patients.

Field hospital
Sindh government has decided to make a  field hospital at Expo Centre with a 1,200-bed facility operational for all COVID-19 patients today. Pakistan Army assisted the provincial government in setting up the field hospital. Authorities have plans to expand it to the 10,000-bed facility soon

Emergency cash
Federal government’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme would commence on April 8, with a payment of Rs144 billion to millions. Rs12,000 assistance to 12 million families each under the program is for the people affected by the lock-down.