Says health, commerce sectors to get top priority in next budget,
Quetta: (Parliament Times) Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has said that besides taking steps to stem the spread of Coronavirus the Baluchistan government was working painstakingly to improve the health system and sustain economic and business activities in the province.
The Chief Minister made these assertions while attending the NCOC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan via video link on Friday. Speaking on the occasion Jam Kamal said that under the prevailing circumstances the health and commerce sectors will remain a top priority in the budget for the next financial year. He pointed out that due to lack of specialized hospitals in the private sector in Baluchistan, the people wholly depend on the government owned health facilities. “Since there are no other coronavirus testing facilities available to the people the provincial government has increased testing capacity in the government laboratories”.
“At present there are 5 laboratories in the province where 1400 to 1500 tests are being done on a daily basis”, he said adding that Khuzdar laboratory too has started coronavirus tests. The Chief Minister said that so far 40,000 tests have been conducted in the province.
The number of active covid19 cases in Baluchistan he said were 5,600 of which 80% cases have been reported from Quetta. Regarding covid19 casualties he said that so far 93 deaths have been reported from the province.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for the federal government’s full cooperation in managing the Coronavirus situation in the areas bordering Iran and Afghanistan. He said that the provincial government needed more ventilators and ICU beds to tackle the situation effectively.
Referring to the havoc wreaked by the locusts, the Chief Minister said, “Although there are no large tracts of agricultural land in Baluchistan but the livelihood of a large population is linked to livestock and agriculture sectors”. The locusts he said have caused severe damage to orchards and pastures. He said that the NDMA’s support was imperative for the eradication of locusts.
