Punjab minister orders to ensure availability of protective equipment

LAHORE: The Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal presided over a high-level meeting at Civil Secretariat and ordered concerned officials to ensure the availability of personal protective equipment.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the meeting thoroughly discussed the availability of personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves, gowns and other surgical equipment, their prices and manufacturing at the local level.

While addressing the meeting, Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that increasing prices of masks, surgical equipment and their shortage and hoarding is shocking.

He said that people should be given awareness regarding protective steps against coronavirus. He added that people should be informed through print and electronic media and they should be advised to amend their lifestyle and pay full attention to cleanliness.

The provincial minister said that a consultation would be made with the manufacturers of surgical equipment on manufacturing these items at the local level in the next meeting.

Secretary Health, Additional Secretary Industries Ashar Zaidi, officials of Health, importers of surgical equipment and Industries department representatives have attended the meeting.