By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Amid rising cases of Covid-19 in Islamabad, the National Health Services (NHS) has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan seeking funds to the tune of Rs590 million for setting up more isolation centres in the capital, official said on Monday.
The NHS said as many as 150 more isolation beds are required to cope with the influx of increasing Covid-19 patients and demanded that the government release funds for establishment of isolation centres.
The letter stated that the bed capacity of Islamabad’s Isolation Hospital needs to be enhanced from 50 beds to 100, for which a sum of Rs540 million is needed. In addition, an isolation ward will be set up at the Federal General Hospital (FGH) with a 100-bed capacity, it added.
It underscored the need for improving health facilities at the FGH with procurement of essential medical equipment.
The NHS demanded that the government provide an amount of Rs53 million for the purpose. It called upon the prime minister to forward a summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) for approval of the technical grant.
On the other side, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was planning to open up a drive-in cinema in the federal capital in a bid to provide a recreational activity to Islamabad residents during the times of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We plan to have a car cinema next month and the administration was working on it,” Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat hinted at the opening of a drive-in movie theatre in response to a tweet at his social media user. Recently, a Twitter user, Faizan Khan shared the idea while tagging DC of holding a car theater at F-9 park, every weekend until the second wave of COVID-19 ends.
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Hamza Shafqaat said drive-in movie theatres have the advantages of in-person viewing while staying in the comfort, privacy, and safety of your own vehicle.
