Locally-made ventilators, testing kits to be available in Pakistan by month

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said that the local testing kits for coronavirus would be available in the market by one month, ARY NEWS reported.

The federal minister was chairing a meeting for production of locally-made coronavirus testing kits and ventilators on emergency basis to improve capacity of the health authorities to deal with the pandemic.

“The locally-produced ventilators will also be available in the market by a month,” said the minister adding that the locally-produced material would be as per the international standards.

He further said that the kits and ventilators will be three-times cheaper than those purchased from abroad.

Earlier in the day, another special plane of China carrying medical supplies regarding Coronavirus pandemic arrived in Karachi.

The medical supplies include testing kits, N-95 masks and protective suits.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on March 27 had received a consignment of medical aid from China for fighting the coronavirus epidemic in the country at Karachi airport.

The governor received the aid consignment on behalf of the federal government. The consignment comprises 56,000 testing kits to detect coronavirus cases, N95 surgical masks, and other medical emergency equipment.

A team of Chinese doctors also arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to help the country in containing the spread of the coronavirus.

These Chinese doctors will remain in Pakistan for two weeks and will advise our health care specialists in the light of their experience and success in battling Covid-19 in China.

Xinjiang government has also provided 50 thousand masks each to the Federal Capital as well as to the Sindh government.