Availability of drugs, beds in hospitals ordered.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed the federal and provincial authorities to take all possible steps for controlling the novel coronavirus and ensure availability of medicines, oxygen and beds in hospitals.

He called for complete unity among the masses to fight an unusual and ominous challenge facing the country and for protection of the elderly and sick, especially those suffering from heart-related diseases and diabetes.

The prime minister issued the directives while chairing a meeting during his visit to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for Covid-19 in Islamabad. Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present on the occasion.

Apart from federal ministers, the prime minister of Azad Kashmir and chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan attended the meeting via video link.

Meanwhile, the country reported 5,439 Covid-19 cases and 132 deaths over the past 24 hours, taking the national tally of cases to 163,177 and deaths to 3,165.

5,439 Covid-19 cases, 132 deaths reported in single day; highest number of 31,500 tests conducted; GB minister dies of coronavirus; unprescribed sale of newly discovered medicine banned

On Thursday, veteran politician and GB minister for agriculture Haji Janbaz Khan died of coronavirus. He tested positive for Covid-19 and had been on a ventilator and oxygen support. The 65-year-old PML-N leader was elected to the GB Assembly five times from his constituency Chilas, Diamer district.

Prime Minister Khan, while lauding the role of the NCOC, said Pakistan had navigated Covid-19 in a balanced manner, but cautioned people to take utmost care.

'We need a unified and well-coordinated joint national response to fight the disease during the next couple of months; our actions will determine the extent of the crisis and success of our response through consensus,' he said.

The prime minister, while paying tribute to the sacrifices of healthcare workers, said they were making 'us proud at this critical juncture and the entire nation recognises their contribution'. He said the media had performed responsibly so far, adding that the tendency to sensationalise things must be checked by themselves.

The prime minister was briefed by Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Maj Gen Asif Mehmood Goraya, Director General of NCOC Operations and Planning, on the patterns of Covid-19 spread, pressure on hospitals...

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