Multan medical varsity’s VC succumbs to Covid-19

Ag APP

MULTAN/ISLAMABAD: The Vice-Chancellor of Multan’s Nishtar Medical University, Dr Mustafa Kamal Pasha, passed away due to Covid-19 on Wednesday as the country’s coronavirus cases marched past 255,000 ahead of Eidul Adha festivities.

Dr Pasha was the first vice-chancellor of the Nishtar Medical University and a specialist surgeon. He had been hospitalised since June 14, where he passed away, Geo News reported

According to Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Masood Ijaz, Dr Pasha had been on a ventilator for the past three days. The doctor’s condition worsened after his lungs started bleeding and he succumbed to the disease

on Wednesday morning. The vice-chancellor’s death came as Pakistan recorded 2,165 confirmed virus cases and 67 deaths in 24 hours, according to a 9.11am update on the government’s official Covid-19 portal. Total infections and deaths now stand at 255,769 and 5,386 respectively.

Prime Minister Imran Khan offered his condolences following Dr Pasha’s death. “My condolences and prayers go to the families of Mustafa Kamal Pasha, VC Nishtar Medical University, and Nadeem Mumtaz — both of whom passed away as a result of Covid-19,” he said in a tweet.

Nadeem Mumtaz, of Fazal Din and Sons, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, according to media reports. “Nadeem Mumtaz and I were together in Aitchison for nine years,” the Prime Minister added.

Meanwhile, as Eidul Adha approaches, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) asked provinces and other stakeholders to reach out to the masses to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) in cattle markets.

Speaking on the occasion, planning minister Asad Umar stressed the need for strict administrative action to ensure SOPs’ compliance to mitigate the impending risk of coronavirus outbreak in cattle markets. “There should be ‘no mask, no entry’ [policy] in the cattle markets and officials should strictly enforce it and monitor the entry and exit points of the cattle markets. There should also be stalls at the entries of the markets to provide masks to the visitors.”

The Sindh Chief Secretary told the meeting that containing the risk of pandemic outbreak on the occasions of Eidul Adha and Moharram was a major challenge where the SOPs shared by the NCOC were conveyed to all of the district and divisional administrations to devise strategies to enforce strict implementation on the guidelines.

Balochistan Chief Secretary informed the forum that there were almost 20 cattle markets established in Quetta whereas three-to-five markets were set up in various cities of the province. He said model cattle markets were set up in Quetta and around 20,000 face masks were distributed among the masses to encourage compliance.

Punjab Chief Secretary informed the forum that around 303 cattle markets would be established in the province from July 15-25 with proposed timings from 9am to 6pm.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary said a total of 191 cattle markets would be established in the province whereas a “no mask, no entry” with mask distributing stalls at the entrance was already implemented. He added that the district administrations were directed to avoid complacency in enforcement of SOPs.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chief Secretary briefed the forum that cattle markets in AJK were increased from 21 to 47 whereas all of the markets would be in rural areas and strict compliance would be ensured.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary said one model cattle market was established in the territory whereas a no mask, no entry policy, along with mask distributing stall was implemented.

The forum was briefed that as per the federal government’s decision to provide 2,000 oxygenated beds to hospitals across the country by the end of July around 1,825 oxygen beds were added to the existing capacity.

The ramp up includes Islamabad Capital Territory 550 beds, Punjab 480, Sindh 125, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 390, Balochistan 150, Gilgit-Baltistan 40 and AJK 90.