Having utilized the entire Rs. 3.6 billion of the Coronavirus Emergency Fund (CEF), the Sindh government has no funds at its disposal to deal with the second wave of COVID-19.
In March this year, the Sindh government had set up the CEF to fight the Coronavirus outbreak in the province. It also notified the formation of a high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Sindh, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, to manage the CEF. Both the public and private sectors generously contributed to the CEF to support the fight against the disease by mobilizing required resources.
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According to Finance Department Sindh, the CEF committee had released Rs. 133.94 million and Rs. 30 million for setting up field isolation centers at the Expo Center and PAF Museum respectively.
It also disbursed Rs. 2.05 billion for immediate acquisition of essential medical equipment including PCR testing kits, rapid testing kits, PPE suits, oxygen cylinders, N-95 and surgical masks, suction machines, thermal guns, defibrillators, BP apparatus, medicine, sanitizers, and biohazard bags.
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Besides, the CEF committee also hired a renowned external auditor for transaction review to ensure transparency in the management of the fund. It also signed an agreement with a quality assurance firm for the inspection of the essential medical equipment purchased by the provincial health department.
CM Sindh’s Law Adviser, Murtaza Wahab, has said that the provincial government will discuss its plans about the CEF as soon as the CM recovers and resumes office.
