PM proposes 10-point plan to avert economic collapse
Imran virtually joins nearly 100 world leaders at the two-day UNGA session on the response to raging pandemic; Pakistan reports 3,262 new coronavirus cases, 55 deaths in 24 hours
While addressing a special UN General Assembly (UNGA) session on the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Imran Khan proposed a 10-point action plan to avert an economic collapse in several developing countries due to the ongoing global health crisis.
Imran made the remarks as he virtually joined nearly 100 world leaders at the two-day session on the response to raging pandemic.
In his address, Imran also stressed the need for reforming the international financial architecture; building an inclusive and equitable debt management mechanism; constructing a democratic Sdg-focused trading system; and installing a fair international tax regime.
The premier said that the pandemic has caused immense human suffering, but added that the poorest countries and the poor in all the countries are suffering the most.
“Nearly 100 million people in developing countries will fall back into extreme poverty,” he warned.
“I am sure other developing countries in our position are facing a similar dilemma. How to stimulate the economy and yet at the same time reduce our budget deficit?
“The only way we can have the fiscal space to maintain and revive growth is through access to additional liquidity,” the prime minister added.
Imran further said that “if economic collapse is to be averted in a number of developing countries due to the COVID-19, the international community must identify and implement some key priority actions.”
“Without economic security, conflicts and disputes will persist and proliferate across the world,” he said.
Pakistan has completed all prerequisites to submit the vaccine request to GAVI, through the COVAX facility, a coalition for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by all countries.
According to official sources, Pakistan and other GAVI eligible countries are likely to receive free of cost vaccines for a proportion of the population as well as additional quantities on special subsidized rates.
Releasing the application template on Nov.17, GAVI had fixed Dec.7 as the deadline to receive application.
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation under the guidance of the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination established a technical working group that worked round the clock to complete the consultation process having all stakeholders on board.
The proposal drated therein was endorsed by the National Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) on Immunisations on Dec.1 and approved by the National Interagency Coordination Commitee (NICC) on Friday in a meeting chaired by Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services.
Participants of the meeting convened through video link included Director General Health, representative of the Ministry of Finance, National and Provincial EPI Managers, Representatives of WHO and Unicef, GAVI as well as the other development partners and international donors.
Speaking on the occasion Sultan highlighted the efforts of the government to curtail the impact of COVID-19 using all potential measures and available options.
“Ensuring availability of safe and effective vaccine to the most vulnerable population groups, the soonest possible, is yet another tool that the government is looking to benefit from,” stated Sultan.
“Protecting the healthcare workforce at the forefront of the response against the COVID-19, shall ensure our strength to tackle the challenge head on while protecting elderly with co-morbidities will help in reducing the associated morbidity and mortality,” he added.
The total active COVID-19 cases in Pakistan on Friday were recorded 51,507 as 3,262 more people tested positive for the deadly virus during the last 24 hours.
Fity-five coronavirus patients, 49 of whom were under treatment in hospital and six out of hospital died on Thursday, according to the latest update issued by the National command and Operation Centre ( NCOC).
No COVID-19 affected person was on ventilator in Balochistan, while 331 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in Pakistan, out of 1,751 allocated for COVID-19 patients.