–NDMA chief says Pakistan will soon be able to conduct 40,000 tests daily
ISLAMABAD: The government is aiming to enhance the country’s coronavirus testing capacity to 40,000 tests per day as the toll of the highly-contagious virus neared 14,000 on Monday.
As of Monday night, the Pakistan had 13,947 COVID-19 cases with 3,029 recoveries and 293 deaths. Punjab had 5,526 cases, Sindh 4,956, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 1,984, Balochistan, 853, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 318, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 245 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 65.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt General Muhammad Afzal told the media that Pakistan would soon attain the capacity to conduct 40,000 tests for coronavirus per day.
He said that 18 tonnes of medical equipment have arrived China arrived through a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight and in the next few days the country’s laboratories would be able to conduct more tests.
He said that the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) has collaborated with the NDMA in procuring the medical equipment valuing $50 million from China. “Today’s consignment included 15 x-ray machines, 159 ventilators, 200 thermal guns, 290,000 surgical masks, 15,000 protective gowns, 30,000 gloves 5,000 safety goggles and other personal protective equipment (PPE),” he said.
“Three to four more flights carrying mostly PPE and ventilators would arrive soon,” he added.
The NDMA chairman thanked the NDRMF for sponsoring huge consignments of medical equipment.
NDRMF Chief Executive Officer Lieutenant General (r) Nadeem Ahmed said that the fund was procuring the PPE to ensure the safety of doctors and paramedics, who were on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus.
He said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding around $105 million to the NDRMF for procuring more medical equipment, which would be provided to the federation and the provinces through the NDMA. The World Bank (WB) would also give $60 million to Pakistan for the purpose, he added.
He also said that the NDRMF would try to create earning opportunities for the people, whose businesses or employments had been affected due to the lockdown.
He further said negotiations are nearing conclusion with the French Development Bank for $40 to 45 million to procure more medical equipment.
