'Steel mills oxygen plant to be revived for Rs1b'.

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that keeping in view the coronavirus situation, his government would intervene to make oxygen plants operational at steel mills against a cost of Rs1billion.

'We are passing through a very serious situation; therefore, we have to be prepared to face any emergency,' said CM in a meeting with the leading doctors at CM House on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Nasir Shah, Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary (CS) Mumtaz Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, VC Dow Dr Saeed Qureshi and others.

At the outset of the meeting, the chief minister said that the new wave of coronavirus has badly affected various major cities of Pakistan.

'We are also facing its severity and trying to take measures whatever seems to be feasible to control the situation,' he said and added the purpose of meeting with the leading doctors was to review the situation.

The doctors appreciated the efforts of the chief minister right from the first wave and said that the establishment of Infectious Disease Hospital in Karachi, provision of ventilators to every district and recruitment of doctors and para-medical staff are commendable. They requested the chief minister to make necessary arrangements for production of oxygen.

'When timely oxygen is given to a patient, his chances to go to the ventilators are reduced,' Dr Qaiser Sajjad said and added the provincial government should take necessary measures to make operational oxygen plants of Pakistan Steel Mills. The chief minister said that a team of the federal government had visited Pakistan Steel Mills plant and reported that it could not be revived. 'We held a meeting with the people of Pakistan Steel Mills and they told us that it could be revived within three months at a cost...