Pakistan will start conducting 50,000 COVID-19 tests per day: NDMA

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal has said Pakistan will start conducting 50,000 COVID-19 tests per day starting next week.

While talking to media today, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal said that a meeting held at the National Command and Operations Center had decided that COVID-19 detection kits would be given to all the relevant departments in the country to increase testing capacity.

He further said that at 800,000 kits were available and efforts were being made to procure more of them. Afzal said that earlier only those people underwent a test that showed symptoms of the COVID-19; however, randomised testing will be done now.

He informed NDMA had received a medical consignment from China consisting of protective suits, 59 ventilators, safety lenses, about 936 kg of surgical masks, 1,720 kg of un-stitched cloth for surgical gowns and thermometers.

On April 11, the Chinese government had sent medical equipment, including water-impermeable surgical gowns, PCR testing kits, Chinese KN95 masks, disposable medical masks and mobile X-ray machines.

A team of Chinese doctors also arrived in Pakistan on Friday. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the team was headed by Major General Huang Qingzhen and its team had landed in Pakistan on two special flights.

“The Chinese doctors who have expertise in treating infectious diseases shall support Pakistan’s efforts in fighting against COVID-19 situation for the coming two months,” the ISPR added.

The statement further said Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Gen Nadeem Raza, and senior military officials welcomed the team on their arrival in Pakistan.