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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal
Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1
-Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence
Date: May 18, 2021
Kathmandu, Nepal
EMERGING THEME(S)
• Nepal reports 9,198 new COVID-19 cases, 214 fatalities on May 16; recoveries are rising — 6,648 on May 16, highest
till date; infection rate in Kathmandu Valley, some urban centers have declined, but too early to say if infection has
decreased nationwide as virus has spread to rural areas, according to Health Ministry
• Weak health infrastructure in villages of Nepal could mean a looming disaster as COVID-19 infections could peak this
week
• Government to bring new ordinance to control COVID-19 pandemic; scrap Epidemiology and Disease Control Division
and set up Center of Disease Control proposed; government hospitals in Kathmandu start COVID-OPD service
• Government starts procurement process of 2,000,000 doses of Vero Cell from China; first 1,000,000 doses to arrive
by first week of June
• Sudurpaschim’s COVID-19-infected are the losers between the ego clash between federal and provincial governments;
Province’s Butwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi have become COVID-19 hotspots
• Province 1 facing shortage of COVID-19 test kits, reagents; Antigen Tests halted
• COVID-19-infected have become more panicky, lost their strong willpower this time around, observe healthcare workers
• Supreme Court has issued mandamus order to government to put an end to the dismal COVID-19 situation; SC’s Bar
Association has slammed the government for negligence and inefficiency in its handling of COVID-19 pandemic that has
resulted in loss of many lives
• Around 3,000,000 laborers have lost their livelihood as a result of the imposition of prohibitory orders
1This intelligence is tracked through manually monitoring national print, digital and online media through a representative sample selection,
and consultations with media persons and media influencers.
WHE Communications Intelligence 2RECURRING THEME(S)
• No efforts being made to control, contain COVID-19 spread in Chiljhapati of Jagarnathpur
• No contact tracing or collection of swabs for testing in Chandrapur Municipality due to shortage of equipment
• Bir Hospital is an apology for a COVID-19 hospital; local levels actively working to set up COVID facilities, help the
infected
• Impossible to set up oxygen plants within 15 days’ time given by the government, say private hospitals
• Fight against pandemic sees healthcare workers going beyond the call of duty; others extend helping hands
ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS
Nepal on May 17 registered 9,198 fresh COVID-19 cases and 214 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of
Health and Population. With this the total death toll has reached 5,215, and total infection 464,218. 2
The number of people recovering from COVID-19 has started to increase. The highest number of people — 6,648 —
recovered on May 16. Those in critical state kept on ventilators have also been recovering and returning home. 3
The infection rate has decreased in Kathmandu Valley and some urban centers due to the prohibitory orders, according to Dr
Samir Kumar Adhikari, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population. However, as the infection has already spread in
the rural areas, it’s early to conclude whether the infection has increased or decreased in the country, he clarified. 4
It will not be scientific to estimate that COVID-19 infection has decreased in the country on the basis of the data of a few days.
There has been a decrease in the number of infections among the tests conducted, but this does not mean the infection has
2
THTOnline
3
Kantipur
4
Nagarik
WHE Communications Intelligence 3decreased overall. 5 The Ministry of Health and Population has said the coming few weeks will be more challenging for Nepal. It has asked people to be more careful, and be united and help one another during this time. 6 COVID-19 has been confirmed in 70 per cent of the tests done in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City in recent days. 7 In the past 10 days, 100 COVID-infected people have died in the COVID-19 hospitals of Rupandehi. The death rate has increased due to the shortage of oxygen and beds in the hospitals. 8 About 15 people are dying daily in the Gandaki Province — those who’ve lost their lives include COVID-19 patients staying in home isolation. Those staying in home isolation for a long time and reaching the hospital only after becoming critical are amongst those who have died due to the virus.9 Most of the citizens of Jhapa infected with COVID-19 are found to be staying in home isolation after testing positive and trying home remedies/cures. They bring oxygen cylinders home if they have breathing difficulty and visit hospitals only if no oxygen cylinders are available.10 Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Trilochan Bhatta has tested positive for COVID-19.11 An 84-year-old woman from Nepalgunj has recovered from COVID-19. The woman and her son recovered while staying in home isolation. 12 Public health experts say coronavirus infections could reach peak in villages across the country this week but with weak health infrastructure in the villages, both in terms of equipment and human resources, this could only mean a looming disaster.13 5 Setopati 6 Setopati 7 Setopati 8 Nagarik 9 Nagarik 10 Baarhakhari 11 Onlinekhabar 12 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 4
The government is set to bring an ordinance to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision has been made stating that it has become difficult to work for pandemic control with just the legal provisions in the Infectious Disease Act 2020, Local Administration Act 2028, and Public Procurement Act.14 A proposal has been made to set up the Center of Disease Control, and dismiss currently active Epidemiology and Disease Control Division in the ordinance.15 COVID-OPD service has started in the government hospitals of Kathmandu. The hospitals will send the infected patients home after undergoing check-up at the OPD, and those requiring oxygen will be administered in the OPD.16 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s admitted on May 16 that was wrong in believing that Nepalis’ immune system was strong enough to fight coronavirus. However, there are hardly any sincere efforts from the Oli administration to deal with the virus situation. The Oli administration is now groping in the dark. Instead of trying to step up some fundamental measures — contact tracing, testing and treating — and ensure enough beds and oxygen supply, it now thinks it’s the lack of laws that is hindering its COVID-19 fight. As such the government has decided to bring an ‘integrated’ law for effective coordination among various agencies and tackling some problems in purchasing medical supplies immediately, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali, also the government spokesperson.17 The Karnali Province government will provide nearly Rs 140,000,000 to Health Services Directorate for the control, and containment of COVID-19.18 The government has started the process to bring the Vero Cell vaccine from China by the first week of June. The Nepali Embassy in Beijing has been coordinating to procure 2,000,000 doses of the vaccine in the first phase. China has given its 13 The Kathmandu Post 14 Kantipur 15 Nayapatrika 16 Baarhakhari 17 The Kathmandu Post 18 Setopati WHE Communications Intelligence 5
assurance to provide 1,000,000 doses by the first week of June.19 The COVID-19 patients have been at the receiving end of the clash of egos of the representatives of the federal government and provincial government of Sudurpaschim Province. There is no dialogue between the representatives of these two governments and they lack coordination. However, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi of the Province have become the hotspots of COVID-19 infection.20 Social Development Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Krishna Raj Subedi has said they were not able to make wise decisions on time which led to the shortage of oxygen in the Province. Had the oxygen plant been installed on time, there wouldn't have been the problem, he said.21 Province 1 has started facing shortage of kits used in COVID-19 testing and reagents. The Antigen Test has been stopped amidst the shortage. The COVID-19 tests will have to be stopped completely if there are no arrangements made for test kits and reagents within one/two days, as per the secretary of the Social Development Ministry of the Province.22 The willpower of COVID-19 patients has declined a lot this time, according to a nurse in the Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara. They fear dying, and some of the infected have died due to panic. Even the caretakers tend to get stressed if the patients have any kind of difficulty. In such a situation, healthcare workers have been counseling them to have a strong willpower pointing out that COVID-19 positive people who are eating properly, not stressing family members and not panicking themselves are recovering early.23 The Ministry of Health and Population has requested people to take care of their mental health in these times of increasing cases of coronavirus and deaths.24 19 Onlinekhabar 20 Kantipur 21 Setopati 22 Baarhakhari 23 Kantipur 24 The Himalayan Times WHE Communications Intelligence 6
The Supreme Court has issued an order of mandamus to the government to put an end to the situation where COVID-19 positive people are not getting treatment due to the shortage of oxygen, medicines and beds in hospitals. 25 It has also issued an interim order to the Ministry of Health and Population to bring a detailed work plan related to the control and treatment of COVID-19 pandemic within seven days.26 The Bar Association of the Supreme Court has said that the government behaved carelessly instead of maintaining high alert regarding the control of the pandemic on time. It has observed that many have lost their lives due to the inefficiency of the government.27 About 3,000,000 laborers have become jobless across the country due the prohibitory orders issued by the government to control the COVID-19 infection.28 The COVID-19 infection has spread in Chiljhapati of Jagarnathpur Rural Municipality-5 of Birgunj. However, there has been no effort made towards control and containment of the virus here, as per Pravendra Prasad Shah, Head of Health Division of the Municipality.29 Chandrapur Municipality and the authorities concerned have stopped contact tracing and collecting swabs for PCR testing for the past few weeks citing a shortage of medical equipment. Most local units across the country are yet to start contact tracing. Fewer tests are being conducted because the authorities are not reaching out in communities for contact tracing. 30 Oxygen plants were not hospitals’ priority because until the current crisis, the demand for oxygen was low and the private sector oxygen plants that supplied to the hospitals had been operating at under capacity. However, amid the government order 25 Ratopati 26 Onlinekhabar 27 Nayapatrika 28 Nayapatrika 29 Kantipur 30 The Kathmandu Post WHE Communications Intelligence 7
to set up oxygen plants within 15 days, private hospitals say the time given to them is too short and there will be huge costs involved, plus there are prohibitory orders in place, so it is not possible for them to follow the order. 31 The Finance Ministry has given Rs 10,000,000 to set up an oxygen plant in Gulmi.32 Chief Minister of Bagmati Dormani Poudel said on May 16 all hospitals under the provincial government would establish oxygen plants as per their capacity and that the process of installing oxygen plants had started. 33 Chief Minister of Bagmati Province Dormani Poudel has ordered the hospitals of all 13 districts of the Province to install oxygen plants immediately.34 The 10,000 units of oxygen cylinders purchased by Nepali traders from China have arrived in the Khasa Bazaar of Tibet. The needed oxygen cylinders will reach Kathmandu within a week.35 A widebody plane of Nepal Airlines brought additional 957 oxygen cylinders from Beijing, China on May 16 and 17. 36 A total of 2,500 oxygen cylinders will reach Kathmandu by 7:00 pm on May 17 from China.37 There has been an acute shortage of oxygen in the Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital of Rajbiraj. The problem was created after the depot at Sunsari, that had been providing them with oxygen, refused to continue the supply.38 Oxygen manufacturers have said individuals have started keeping oxygen cylinders at home in case their family members test positive for COVID-19.39 31 The Kathmandu Post 32 Onlinekhabar 33 The Himalayan Times 34 Onlinekhabar 35 Nayapatrika 36 Onlinekhabar 37 Baarhakhari 38 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 8
There have been suspicions of corruption after oxygen concentrators were brought to the district hospital Salyan though the original plan was to buy an oxygen plant.40 No one has bid a tender for the procurement of oxygen cylinders that the Sudurpaschim Province government is planning to buy. Likewise, despite the agreement to provide oxygen concentrators within a week, it has not been delivered even after 17 days.41 It has been more than eight months since the Ministry of Health and Population decided to make Bir Hospital a COVID- dedicated Hospital. However, no equipment, human resources, and infrastructure have yet been added. 42 The Karnali Province government has decided to airlift COVID-19 infected people of remote areas. The patients who are in a critical condition in the regions of Dolpa, Mugu, and Humla will be airlifted via a helicopter.43 Patients infected with COVID-19 have also been kept in the surgical and emergency wards of the Seti Provincial Hospital as there are no patients in those wards. The hospital has shut down all its services except for emergency, and maternity services.44 The local levels of Kathmandu Valley are taking active participation in the control of COVID-19 pandemic. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has made an agreement with 12 hospitals for the control of the pandemic, whereas the Lalitpur Metropolitan City has started a 100-bed isolation center at Bagdol.45 The Budhiganga Rural Municipality of Morang has brought a COVID-19 hospital into operation. The temporary hospital has the facility of oxygen, doctor and medicine.46 39 Onlinekhabar 40 Setopati 41 Setopati 42 Kantipur 43 Onlinekhabar 44 Setopati 45 Nayapatrika WHE Communications Intelligence 9
The government is set to make a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital within 15 days in Province 2 in the building of the Manipal Medical College.47 The healthcare workers in Banke have been taking care of COVID-19 patients forgetting about their own infections as the district has a high number of patients but limited human resources in the healthcare sector. They are not even taking leave for rest after being infected, but taking care of COVID-19 patients.48 Leader of the Nepal Communist Party Maoist (center) Nararyan Kaji Shrestha has gone to Gorkha carrying a team of healthcare professionals and healthcare materials. The team will conduct an Antigen Test in suspected areas.49 Both the government and private agencies have brought healthcare materials to the country via chartered flights. A total of 287 flights have been made in the past 14 days to bring the healthcare materials.50 Joy Foundation on May 16 handed over various medical equipment to Chhetrapati Free Clinic for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.51 The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) COVID Relief has brought into operation a COVID isolation and primary health check-up room in the building of old Gorkha Hospital of Chhetrapati.52 Triyuga Municipality has taken initiatives to start ICU service and operate two ventilators in Udayapur District Hospital.53 A group of youngsters has been giving nutritious food to 100 patients at Beljhundi and Lamahi hospitals of Dang.54 46 Nagarik 47 Nayapatrika 48 Kantipur 49 Onlinekhabar 50 Nayapatrika 51 The Himalayan Times 52 Baarhakhari 53 The Himalayan Times WHE Communications Intelligence 10
Tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara have started a free ambulance service to ferry COVID -19 patients to and from the hospitals.55 The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries has distributed healthcare materials to six hospitals of Kathmandu. 56 A 126-bed isolation center has been inaugurated at the Agrawal Building of Kamalpokhari. 57 The Department of Customs has deployed a quick response team to facilitate in the easy supply of healthcare materials and other essential items amidst the pandemic.58 A joint isolation service has been started in the Tilganga area after it was found that many infected did not find it easy to stay in home isolation.59 The students of Kathmandu University School of Engineering are making a ‘robo van’ to manage the bodies of COVID-dead in association with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. The van, that will operate remotely, will help carry the bodies without humans touching it.60 The Skishyadeep College of Biratnagar has provided 100 units of oxygen cylinders to the 50-bed isolation center operated by the Biratnagar Metropolitan City.61 Youth have donated 20 oxygen cylinders to the district hospital of Salyan after collecting funds via Facebook. 62 54 Nagarik 55 Nagarik 56 Nagarik 57 Onlinekhabar 58 Onlinekhabar 59 Onlinekhabar 60 Setopati 61 Baarhakhari WHE Communications Intelligence 11
OTHER(S)
National News
The kin of a person who died of COVID-19 infection were charged Rs 28,000 for the management and cremation of the body in
Chitwan. Upon complaint, the District Administration Office has given directives to reduce the cost. 63
The government of Karnali Province will arrange all materials necessary for the management of the COVID-dead. This
decision was made after complaints that the kin of the dead were forced to manage those things amidst the demise of their
loved one.64
Kathmandu Metropolitan City started administering the second dose of China-donated Sinopharm vaccine in all its 32 wards
from May 16. Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts have decided to start administering the second dose from May 17 and May 19. 65
The Chief District Office of Kathmandu Kali Prasad Parajuli has said there has been a total compliance of the public with the
prohibitory orders. He has claimed none of the vehicles other than those of essential services are on roads. 66
All businesses, except for pharmacies and hospitals, have been shut down for a week in Banepa. The decision has been made
due to the surge in COVID-19 infection there.67
62
Setopati
63
Kantipur
64
Setopati
65
The Kathmandu Post
66
Ratopati
67
Onlinekhabar
WHE Communications Intelligence 12The Nepal Health Professionals’ Council has requested healthcare workers not to go beyond their expertise while talking about COVID-19. It has asked them to share information only on topics they have an expertise in.68 A person claiming to be a student of Yogi Naraharinath has been promoting a plant as ‘Yogi Buti’, which he says boosts immunity and works as a medicine for coronavirus. However, the plant has been used as a medicine to treat worms and as a tonic, as per botanists. Ayurvedic doctors have informed that there is no mention of this plant in the Ayurvedic texts as a medicine for coronavirus.69 It has been reported that the cylinders discovered at Lalitpur of Malpokhari are chlorine cylinders of the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited — they are regarded poisonous and harmful to use for medical purposes. 70 The lockdown has brought down the consumption levels and affected the supply chain directly affecting the local farmers. Problems began for the farmers after the second lockdown was imposed on April 29 in Kathmandu Valley, a major vegetable consuming market with its massive population, where vegetable consumption has declined steeply. With sales down at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable market, traders are staying home, and farmers are dumping their produce, according Uttam Subedi, a vegetable trader from Bisingkhel of Thaba Municipality.71 The Bankers Association has urged people to do all banking transactions from home stating that the risk from the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is high.72 The pandemic has upended regular teaching-learning activities and students are worried about promotion to higher grades. Students have been deprived of studies in the last one year and they fear that they might not be able to do well in academics if they are promoted to higher grades in the current situation.73 68 Baarhakhari 69 Onlinekhabar 70 Onlinekhabar 71 The Kathmandu Post 72 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 13
Chief Minister of Province 2 Lal Babu Raut has requested the United Nations agencies to provide needed help to control the
COVID-19 pandemic.74
International News
Police are reaching out to villagers in northern India to investigate the recovery of bodies buried in shallow sand graves or
washing up on the Ganges River banks, prompting speculation on social media that they were remains of COVID-19 victims. 75
Bodies of COVID-19 victims have been found dumped in some Indian rivers, a state government said in a letter seen by
Reuters, the first official acknowledgement of an alarming practice it said may stem from poverty and fear of disease in
villages. The administration has information that bodies of those who have succumbed to COVID-19 or any other disease are
being thrown into rivers instead of being disposed of as per proper rituals, a senior state official Manoj Kumar Singh, said in a
May 14 letter to district heads. 76
Some Indian states like Delhi, Haryana and Kerala said on May 16 that they would extend COVID-19 lockdowns to help
contain the pandemic. The Indian government said it would send an additional 5.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to
states over the next three days.77
Greece formally opened to visitors on May 16 kicking off a summer season it hopes will resurrect its vital tourism industry
battered by the coronavirus pandemic. 78
73
The Himalayan Times
74
Onlinekhabar
75
The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)
76
Reuters (in The Himalayan Times)
77
Reuters (in The Kathmandu Post)
78
Reuters (in The Kathmandu Post)
WHE Communications Intelligence 14Contacts for further details Dr Sunoor Verma Strategic, Risk and Crisis Communication Consultant World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal sverma@who.int sunoorv@gmail.com Ms Tsering Dolkar Gurung NPO (Communication, Media and Public Information) World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal gurungt@who.int WHO’s COVID-19 response in Nepal is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Azerbaijan, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Government of Germany and USAID. Reference Code: 21MAY18MM_11B WHE Communications Intelligence 15
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