Punjab govt to recruit 10,000 people in health deptt: Usman Buzdar

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar on Tuesday announced to recruit 10,000 medical staffers including doctors, nurses and paramedics aimed at tackling the coronavirus outbreak as the provincial tally crossed 260, ARY NEWS reported.

Announcing the decisions, the chief minister said that the new recruitment in the health department would also oversaw hiring of retired doctors.

“We have approved a package of Rs 11 billion to be provided to the health department for tackling the spread of the virus,” he said adding that Rs 20 million have already been released in this regard.

He said that they have imposed section 144 in the province and a cabinet committee is overseeing the efforts to deal with the virus on daily basis. “We have also formed a committee on school holidays and lowering fees of private schools and will ensure that the guidelines issued from the province are followed,” he said.

Usman Buzdar announced that it was decided to carry out early deduction of Zakat from bank accounts. “We have conveyed the recommendations to the federal government and the finance minister will brief on the matter within two to three days,”he said.

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The chief minister said that they  have released Baitul Maal funds in all the districts while Rs 620 million were also issued for restoring eight abandoned laboratories in the province.

He announced that all members of the cabinet would donate their one-month salary in the provincial Coronavirus fund.

The Punjab chief minister also announced to postpone the local bodies’ polls in the country for nine months due to the emergency situation faced after the spread of coronavirus.