Jubilee Post News & Views
News Desk
Just as other countries in the world, Nepal too is facing COVID-19 challenge and to deal with it Nepal has imposed lockdown in the entire Nepal. The PM KP Sharma Oli had announced lockdown in Nepal a day prior to India and when it will end, no one has any trace.
Nepal is keeping alert with the rising numbers in India on its neighbourhood. Its international borders are sealed and all flights remain on the ground. According to statistics released by Nepal’s health minister on April 23, the country had reported 48 coronavirus cases and 10 of them had been discharged from hospital. The country has not reported any death.
India has helped Nepal with 23 ton of medicine load and the Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli had sent a thanks to India counterpart. In reply Indian PM Narendra Modi said India and Nepal have a special relation and India stands with Nepal in the situation of crisis.
The stock of medicine from India had 2.5 lakh tablets of Hydroxychloroquine and 3.2 lakh tablet paracetamol. The first coronavirus case in Nepal was of a 81 year old woman who had returned from Britain. Her 58-year-old son too tested positive for coronavirus. Both returned home on April 23 after treatment.
Majority cases in Nepal is from eastern Nepal’s Udaipur district. According to the health ministry 28 cases are from this district. Several are Indian nationals and many are staying in mosques.
Last week over 12 Indian nationals had tested positive in Udaipur district and some of their Nepali and Indian contacts too tested positive later. Earlier in Veerganj in Parsa district three Indians had tested positive. They were staying in mosques and had gone to participate in a religious congregation.
What are the challenges
The challenge is not a small one particularly for countries where health services are not adequate. Nepal has a big challenge from people who crossed over the border and are not even living in quarantine.
Despite lockdown some of the positive cases trespassed inside Nepal last month. Many of these went to rural areas to their homes. Hence tracking of these people was difficult. If coronavirus reaches rural Nepal it will be a big challenge.
Nepal has kept over 12500 people in quarantine. And also 89 suspected cases have been kept in separate quarantine. Nepal government is getting tested people who have returned from India or other countries. Also those in their contact are being tested.
In Nepal over 9000 PCR and 38000 rapid tests have been conducted. According to the Nepal government those tested positive have mild symptoms or no symptoms. None had severe symptoms and this has increased worries for the government there.
How is the preparation
According to the health ministry website in all 25 hub hospitals have been identified for treatment of coronavirus patients. Patients are being kept in different hospitals in different regions of Nepal. There are some temporary hospitals too. There are 15 PCR test machines working. According to Oli government they have enough stock of medicine.
If Nepal media is to be believed the health infrastructure has improved. Nepal has several good hospitals though there are limited ventilators. A few days before shortage of PPE kits for doctors made news. Nepal is contacting China for protective gears.
Questions were raised in Nepal for less number of tests done. After that the government had increased number of tests in all provinces. Now all suspected, those with travel history and their contacts, are being tested. Cases in Nepal are not rising as in other countries.
Doctors say the better immune system of people in Nepal is a reason. They say this is the reason why many cases do not have severe symptoms. it is also said that Nepal lacks a big transport system such as metro hence the virus did not spread much.
When will lockdown end?
There has been no announcement for lockdown to end. PM KP Sharma Oli said that lockdown will continue till next order. Nepal is keeping vigil on its neighbour India. Nepal is busy safeguardin its people despite limited resources.
Many Nepal residents live in Oman, Middle East, Bahrain, and other countries and Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli has spoken to leaders of these countries asking them to help people from Nepal there.
