PM asks people to make donations

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday asked everyone to donate to the COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund, promising that it would be used to take care of those who have been made destitute by the lockdown.

In his tweet, he stated, “Prime Minister COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund has been set up to help the government fight this pandemic. I want everyone to donate towards this fund, which will be used to take care of all those who have been made destitute by the lockdown. Send your tax deductible donation to the fund”.

Earlier in the morning, speaking after inaugurating the up-gradation of Cantonment General Hospital Rawalpindi, the prime minister stated that doctors, nurses and other paramedics were the frontline force against the coronavirus, and the government would take care of them by providing them necessary protective equipment to ensure their safety and health.

He regretted that the health sector remained neglected during the last 70 years and less spending on health sector led to its deterioration.

The prime minister said that demand of ventilators and other equipment was soaring across the world, and Pakistan was facing difficulty in getting them. He added that China gave preference to Pakistan and provided equipments and ventilators.

The prime minister said that health workers were the priority of the government, and there was growing pressure on them across the world, because they were fighting at the frontline against coronavirus.

The prime minister said that the virus would increase but at what rate it might escalate was yet to be known.

He said in one week the government would have the data on the trend of virus.

The prime minister stated that the government was standing behind the heath workers and wanted to provide facilities to them.

The prime minister stated that he was reading news that the United States (US) had opened visa for health workers because health workers were frontline force against the coronavirus pandemic.—ZAHEER ABBASI