Kathmandu: At the time when coronavirus cases are setting new records each day, the government has failed to come up with a concrete plan to tackle the pandemic that has taken a toll on the country’s health system.
Addressing the nation in a televised video on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli didn’t share any tangible plan to tackle the pandemic but was focused more on briefing the current scenarios.
“We are now facing the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. This wave has proved to be more deadly as the mortality rate suggests. Around 43 percent of samples tested yesterday came positive,” PM Oli shared.
Expansion of labs and vaccines in the focus of the address
The Prime Minister also talked about the expansion of Covid-19 laboratories and vaccination drive, adding that the government has started the procurement process for vaccines.
However, the government still has not been able to make testing free and perform tests at the community level.
“In addition to the vaccines received as assistance, the government has already started the process of purchasing the required amount of vaccines. The government is making efforts to bring enough vaccines as soon as possible through continuous liaison and coordination with China, Russia, and other vaccine producing countries and COVAX,” said PM Oli.
The PM’s address sounded more like policies and programs of the government and failed to come up with an immediate plan.
At the time when the government has failed to repair oxygen plants in state-run hospitals, the Prime Minister announced establishing oxygen plants at big hospitals and medical colleges.
“Non-operational oxygen plants will be repaired soon and brought into operation. Strict action will be taken against those who illegally export liquid oxygen. Liquid oxygen and oxygen generators will be procured and stocked. Oxygen plants will be set up at big hospitals and medical colleges,” PM Oli stated.
No immediate plans
The PM’s address sounded more like policies and programs of the government and failed to come up with an immediate plan.
“In order to prevent a shortage of health manpower, retired doctors and other health workers at the federal, provincial, and local levels will be recruited on contract for one year,” PM Oli shared.
The Prime Minister said that vaccines and critical care medicines are global goods and everyone should have access to it.
Saying that security personnel will be mobilized to ensure that people follow public health standards, PM Oli said that violators will be fined according to law.
Call to the international community
The Prime Minister said that vaccines and critical care medicines are global goods and everyone should have access to it.
“I would like to request our neighbors, friendly countries, and international organizations to help with vaccines, diagnostics equipment, and oxygen among others to support our ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic,” the Prime Minister ended his address.
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