High Level Committee Formed For Implementation Of Mass Welfare Ehsas Program Of PM Pakistan In AJK: Chief Secretary

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2020 ) , Apr 05 (APP):AJK Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana said here on Sunday that in order to implement the mass welfare Ehsaas Program of the Prime Minister of Pakistan in Azad Jammu Kashmir, a high level committee headed by Senior Member AJK board of Revenue has been constituted for the delivery of financial support and assistance to poor including the daily wagers, under privileged and down trodden classes in the State suffered by the ongoing COVID-19.

He expressed these views while addressing a high level meeting of the officers of the Mirpur district and Divisional Administration and the State Health Department during his whirl-wind visit here on Sunday.

Besides other senior officials of the district and divisional administration, Commissioner Mirpur Division Muhammad Raqeeb, SSP Raja Irfan Saleem, DHO Dr Fida Hussain, MS Dr Farooq Ahmad Noor, Additional Secretary Home Secretary Masood-ur-Rehman, , PMA AJK President Dr Ijaz Ahmed Raja, Director Benazir Income Support Program Raja Kaleemullah Khan, doctors, para medical and nursing staff were also present on this occasion.

The CS continued that protection of the lives of people of the state was atop the priorities of the State government which would leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of the lives of the masses through combating the wave of COVID-19 in the State.

He declared that funds will never be the obstacle during ongoing war against the deadly virus. "We may divert the state development funds to combat the pandemic if needed." Rana continued that people and the government of Azad Jammu Kashmir were really proud of the performance of the state functionaries including the essential services departments at this testing time as they were sincerely and enthusiastically performing through mutual cooperation and coordination during ongoing Corona virus high alert.

The chief secretary said Mirpur Division administration had taken full implementation of the state lockdown taking effective steps to protect the lives of the citizens and to prevent the spread of Corona virus in all three districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimbher district.

The timely recovery and discharge of Liaquat Hussain, one of the first five pilgrims placed in the Quarantine centre Mirpur, who was tested negative after complete cure, has given the Government of Azad Jammu Kashmir great encouragement.

Besides the local administration the state health department officials especially doctors and paramedical staff devotedly working for the treatment of the virus patients, was extremely praise worthy. This great gesture and commitment to their job was dedicated to the great assignment of serving humanity, the CS said adding we pay rich tributes to them and the difficulties they were facing with during their duties will be resolved in next few days.

The CS said that PRC machines had been installed in DHQ hospitals in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur with immediate affect which have started operating.

The similar PCR machine would also be installed in Rawalkot soon.

He said the PCR machines were meant for the test of corona virus patients. More Corona virus kits will be soon provided, he assured.

Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhry Muhammad Raqib briefed the CS about the current situation of the COVID-19 in all three districts of Mirpur division including Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimbher and the measures to combat the pandemic on the part of the concerned district administrations and the state health department.

He also apprised him of the strict implementation of lockdown in all three districts of Mirpur division besides the input of the nation-building institutions including essential services agencies including health services besides the issues they were facing during the performance of their duties � which the Commissioner described splendid.

The CS AJK lauded the performance of doctors, para-medical staff, nurses in the department, he said that Azad Jammu Kashmir Department of Public Health deserves a tribute on the way they are performing their duty in treating patients with coronavirus.

He added that ,"I am well aware of the problems of all the institutions of the state. Protective masks will be provided to hospitals and police soon. All the necessary equipment including ventilator for corona virus patients in Azad Kashmir will be provided. Government is fully aware of the problems of businessmen, labourers, poor and farmers, including government employees. However, the security measures taken by Azad Jammu Kashmir government to ensure timely lockdown for discouraging spread of the Corona virus were in the wider interest of the people of the state. All entry points leading to AJK will continue to be strictly monitored till the pandemic was totally vanished, he declared.

He felicitated the state health services department over the timely recovery of Liaqat Hussain the first patient of Corona virus in Azad Kashmir.

He said the coronavirus was an international pandemic that has engulfed the major developed countries. The situation is still satisfactory in Azad Kashmir. The more people stay in their homes, the more secure they will be. Lockdown will not be eased.

He directed to ensure nutritional needs especially flour in all all three districts of Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli in the division.He asked to support the social organizations to distribute relief goods to the low income and lockdown affected poor families.

Referring to the appeal of Prime Minister Azad Jammu Kashmir Raja Mohammed Farooq Haider, the chief secretary directed the Mirpur administration to manage for collection of the blood donations for Thalassemia patients in the division to fulfill the blood transfusion of these patients.