NDMA chairman says matters related to ventilators are under control

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal has said that the matters related to ventilators are under control. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, he said that 128 people are on ventilators across the country. “We will be in need of 2,000 ventilators by the end of June if situation remained deteriorated. We have full preparation in this regard. There is no issue of ventilators in Pakistan,” he said. He said that at the moment, there are 4,200 ventilators in public and private hospitals in addition to 500 ventilators in military hospitals. “Today the NDMA has 183 intensive care unit ventilators in its warehouses as well as oxygen, CPAP, and BiPAP ventilators. Pakistan has given orders to procure over 1,300 ventilators from various countries. The United States has also offered to donate 200 ventilators and half of them will reach Pakistan very soon,” he added. Regarding availability of beds for coronavirus patients, the NDMA chairman said that over 10,000 ICU beds are available in 365 government hospitals across Pakistan and only 2,211 of them are in use, which is 20 percent below the available capacity. “Moreover, 52 private hospitals with a capacity of 679 ICU beds have also been lined up to meet any emergency. Any corona patient who is denied a bed in a hospital from any part of the country can register his complaint on 111-157-157,” he added. Muhammad Afzal appealed the masses to strictly adhere to laid down standard operating procedures to prevent spread of the coronavirus and to protect themselves and others. Giving details of NDMA's efforts to eliminate locust attack in various parts of the country, he said that massive operation has been continuing in Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Faisalabad divisions, along with Okara, Bhakkar and Layyah districts in this regard. “We have enough stock of pesticides to check the locust attack in Pakistan,” he added. The NDMA chairman said that China had provided 100,000 liters of Malathion, and 75,000 liters Lambda, while 50,000 liters of latter will come from Japan. The NDMA too has ordered to procure 100,000 liters each of these pesticides to undertake spray against locust. Arrangements have also been made to undertake anti-locust spray in deserts of Thar and Cholistan,” he disclosed. He said that they have also prepared plans to meet any flood situation in coming days.