NDMA, UN, donors to help Balochistan fight Covid-19.

QUETTA -- The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), UN agencies, donor organisations and the Balochistan government have agreed to work jointly to minimise the impact of Covid-19 in the province.

The decision was taken in a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani on Thursday. The meeting was attended by NDMA chairman Lt General Muhammad Afzal along with representatives of the United Nation agencies and donor organisations.

Federal Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal, Balochistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Babar Musakhel, Chief Secretary retired captain Fazeel Asghar and other concerned were present in the meeting.

Official sources said that matters pertaining to Covid-19 in Balochistan, economic challenges, and assistance from donor agencies were discussed in the meeting.

Gen Afzal informed the meeting that the NDMA would provide maximum possible assistance to increase the capacity of conducting corona tests, including establishment of two more laboratories at divisional level. With the institutionalisation of these two laboratories, the capacity of testing would increase, he said.

Country heads and representatives of World Health Organisation, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, United Nations Population Fund, and the World Food Programme assured the chief minister to provide maximum possible assistance to combat the pandemic.

Official sources said that the meeting decided that steps would be taken to boost relation and cooperation between United Nations agencies and provincial government departments. The...