The Sindh health ministry has decided to pay one month’s basic salary as a bonus to medical professionals in the province. Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) said that it suggested that government pay an extra allowance of Rs1,000 to doctors and Rs500 per day to nurses who are treating the patients of coronavirus. The decisions were taken in a meeting between Sindh Health Minister Dr Azara Pechuhu and a delegation of the PPA.
The Anjuman-e-Tajran Lahore has said that they will open their markets on May 10. The Centre has put the lockdown in place till May 9. A decision on its extension has yet to be made. Pakistan has reported at least 21,500 known cases of the novel virus so far. Lahore traders said they’ll “break” the lockdown if the government doesn’t lift it after May 9 as they want to resume their businesses.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the next two weeks of the lockdown will be more intense. He appealed to the public to adhere to the restrictions. He emphasised that the reason all provinces have agreed to increase the lockdown is because our combat with the novel coronavirus isn’t over yet. He also explained explained that certain industries were exempted from the lockdown after a calculated analysis.
Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said Tuesday the lockdown rules will be relaxed after April 14. Ghani explained in a statement that the decision is taken so that some sectors can be given conditional permission to resume their operations. However, he reminded people to continue following the lockdown rules as per the law until the aforementioned day.
Sindh police has launched “Citizen Monitoring App” in its attempt to ensure curfew in the province to put reins on the spread of the novel coronavirus. The app is designed to keep tabs on citizens roaming around the city and will be installed on mobile phones used by officers deputed at police checkpoints. So far, around 500 officials have been given access to the application.
The Sindh government announced on Thursday that it will release Rs580 million for the distribution of food supplies to daily wage workers in the province. According to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Rs20 million will be allocated to each district in the province. The amount will be given to district commissioners of each union council who will then distribute ration among the lower-income groups.
Police have taken into custody 90 people for violating the lockdown in Karachi on Monday as the cases were registered against 24 people for coming out of their homes for no valid reasons. The Sindh government has imposed a lockdown across the province in an attempt to stem the spread of coronavirus. All public places, offices, public transport and bus stands would remain closed for 15 days.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has announced that the province will go into a two-week lock down at midnight tonight (March 22). The province has the highest number of cases in the country and the minister had already hinted. Citizens will not be allowed to leave the house unless it is essential and the ban also extends to places of worship.
The Sindh government has released Rs7 billion to the health department to ensure it lacks no resources to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus. Previously, the amount was supposed to be given in second and third quarterly installments, but were given all at once on Wednesday. Of the total amount, Rs4 billion will be used to buy medicines.
Secondary examinations of students across Sindh will commence from June 1, Education Minister Saeed Ghani said in a press conference on Monday. Students studying in grade nine and matriculation will sit for their exams on June 15. Intermediate students, both grade 11 and 12, will have their examinations from July 6. All papers will be held in the afternoon shift, the minister confirmed.