NDMA dispatches PPE for health workers of Balochistan, GB

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has dispatched fourth consignment of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for doctors and health workers of Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. According to NDMA spokesperson, these PPE include surgical masks, N-95 masks, protective gowns, gloves, shoe covers, surgical head covers, face shields, protective goggles, and sanitizers. He said that fourth consignment of PPEs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has already been sent. He said provision of PPEs is also continuing to hospitals of Punjab, Sindh, and Azad Kashmir. Earlier, the WHO handed over 15,000 testing kits and 15 machines to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in the fight against coronavirus pandemic on Monday. Addressing the handover ceremony, NDMA Chairman Muhammad Afzal said that 37 laboratories are working across the country and 25 more laboratories will be made operational soon. “It is good news that the entire protective items except N-95 masks are being prepared in Pakistan,” he said. He said that the government had provided the required equipment to all the frontline doctors, nurses, and other officials working in 502 hospitals across the country. “Now we are ready to supply 100,000 PPEs to all hospitals every week.” The NDMA chairman asked the provincial governments to go for the carpet testing for those localities having coronavirus patients. “There are over 100 mobile laboratories, equipped with required machinery and can be sent to affected localities for screening and testing.” He hoped that they would have over 2,500 ventilators by end of this month.