A Japan-based Pakistani businessman, who deals in medical equipment, has offered to donate 16 ventilators to Pakistan.
In a statement on Monday, the Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo said the mission was in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for the purpose. Arrangements are being made for transportation of ventilators by air to the country, it said. It further stated that the mission was also trying to arrange masks and protective gear for coronavirus patients in Pakistan.
Pakistan, like many countries of the world, has seen a steady rise in coronavirus infections since February 26 when the country reported its first coronavirus case in Karachi. Currently, the number of confirmed coronavirus patients in Pakistan stands at 1,670 (as of March 30).
However, many health experts have warned that the number might be much higher than what was being reported officially and that the country needs to do extensive testing to know the real scale of spread of the deadly virus in the country.