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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal

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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1 -Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence Date: June 1, 2021 Kathmandu, Nepal EMERGING THEME(S) • Nepal reports 4,178 new cases of COVID-19, 114 deaths on May 31 • Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has said 9 black fungus cases seen in Nepal; hospitals not prepared to prevent, treat the impending threat of black fungus • With Antigen tests being done in just hundreds government’s aim to conduct 25,000 tests a day remains a far cry • Palpa residents fear stigmatization after COVID-19 confirmation, hence hesitant to undergo testing; same is the case of residents of Sisne in Rukum; shortage of test kits in Arghakhanchi RECURRING THEME(S) • No possibility of getting Covishield vaccine immediately, 1,350,000 elderly citizens will not get their booster dose on time: Chief of Family Welfare Division Dr Taranath Pokharel • Ministry of Education proposes conducting Secondary Education Examinations via internal evaluation, will submit it before the Cabinet 1 This 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 2 ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS Nepal reported 4,178 new cases of COVID-19 on May 31 and as many as 114 fatalities.2 Eleven people from the Raute community, who have been living on the banks of Bheri River in Gurbhakot Municipality-11 of Surkhet, have been tested for COVID-19. A team of healthcare workers had reached their community for the Antigen Test, but none of them tested positive.3 It has been a month since the imposition of prohibitory orders in the country, and there has been a reduction in COVID-19 infection and death rates. However, health experts say the risk is still there as the infection rate is above 34 per cent.4 A total of 1,355 people of Barpak have been tested for COVID-19 in the past three days.5 The cases of COVID-19 have been declining in Dadheldhura for the past one week. According to Dadheldhura District Health Office Chief Ashutosh Shrestha, test positivity rate dropped to 15-20 per cent in the past one week as compared to 40 per cent earlier.6 The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has said that mucormycosis (black fungus) has started to be seen in Nepal. As of now nine people have been infected — four in Birgunj, four in Nepalgunj, and one in Kathmandu, as per EDCD. However, the doctors have said they are not able to estimate the exact number of people infected with mucormycosis due to the limited resources in Nepal.7 In the last two weeks, four COVID-19 patients were found with the black fungus infection at Nepalgunj-based Bheri Hospital, while a recovered 60-year-old COVID-19 patient from the Lumbini Provincial Hospital is now suspected to have died of black fungus. In Bardiya district there is no preparation to prevent and treat black fungus. Health institutions in Sudurpaschim 2 THT Online 3 Annapurna Post 4 Nayapatrika 5 Kantipur 6 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 7 Nayapatrika WHE Communications Intelligence 3 Province are far from prepared to handle the impending threat of black fungus. Seti Provincial Hospital in Dhangadhi, the major hospital in the province, is yet to prepare treatment services for black fungus patients.8 Officials at the Health Ministry aimed to perform over 25,000 Antigen tests every day along with the current number of PCR tests. However, Antigen tests are being performed only in hundreds. Earlier we could not increase testing due to limited capacity for PCR tests and lack of Antigen test kits, according to Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. However, now we have sufficient Antigen test kits and have already dispatched them to the districts, but the test numbers have not increased, he added. Officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division said that the problem is not only the lack of budget and testing kits but also local officials’ mindset of not taking the risk seriously.9 Out of about 6,000,000 population of Province 2, PCR test has been conducted in only 2.98 per cent of the population. The daily COVID-19 test has reduced in recent days, and with this the number of infected has also reduced. However, people are staying at home rather than opting for tests despite showing the symptoms of COVID-19, as per Bijay Jha, Director of Provincial Health Directorate. It won’t be possible to say the exact situation of Province 2 without conducting tests, he added.10 Many people in Palpa are dying of COVID-19 as they do not comply to go for testing. They fear their families and neighbors will not take it in a positive vein if they are infected, and also fear they will not get good treatment at hospitals. Such people usually stay at home saying it’s just a common cold and fever. By the time they are taken to hospitals, they are critical with no hopes of being saved. Similar is the case in the Sisne Rural Municipality of Rukum East —healthcare workers reached the villages to collect swab samples, but the villagers were hesitant. In the case of Arghakhanchi, COVID-19 tests are not being done because of the lack of test kits. However, the number of infected is increasing, and almost every household has members showing COVID-19-like symptoms.11 People suspected of having COVID-19 have escaped from hospitals while waiting for swab collection for PCR test, those in home isolation have disappeared, while some of the infected have committed suicide in Nepal. People take such decisions 8 The Kathmandu Post 9 The Kathmandu Post 10 Onlinekhabar 11 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 4 being unable to face the economic, social and family crises if someone in the family gets infected, as per DSP Subash Hamal of Kaski Police. According to Dr Kabita Pathak, of the Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital of Pokhara, people who have reached the hospital for COVID-19 treatment are naturally scared for four/five days mostly because they cannot get out of the bed, see the condition of other patients, and due to the fake information rampant about the infection.12 Dr Taranath Pokharel, Chief of Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health and Population, on May 30 said that there is no immediate possibility of the availability of Covishield vaccine. This will affect 1,350,000 elderly citizens — those above the age of 55 in 14 districts and those above 65 years of age in the remaining districts — are at the risk of not getting the booster dose on time.13 The Ministry of Education has proposed to conduct the Secondary Education Examinations via internal evaluation, and it will present the proposal before the Cabinet.14 The National Education Board has proposed three alternatives to conduct the Secondary Education Examinations before the Ministry of Education. These include taking exams in the traditional manner if the situation returns to normal, a partial alternative exam along with a written test in the home center if COVID-19 infections decrease, and a total alternative method if the situation is not favorable.15 12 Setopati 13 Kantipur 14 Onlinekhabar 15 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 5 OTHER(S) National News The 1 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine that China is giving to Nepal under grant assistance will be used to inoculate those between 55 to 65 years of age. The plane of Nepal Airlines will return with the vaccine from Beijing on June 1.16 The Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City has written to the Ministry of Health and Population seeking approval to buy 200,000 doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccine on its own for its residents.17 The Social Development Ministry and Health Office of Province 1 have issued contradictory statements regarding the secret vaccination drive in the Province. The press advisor of Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai issued a statement on May 30 saying there has been no illegal distribution of the vaccine, while the secretary of Social Development Minister Ushakala Rai has said all responsibility to provide the second dose of vaccine was given to the Health Office Morang. However, Ramananda Yadav, Chief of the Vaccine Division at the Health Office has said that the vaccine was distributed based on the solo decision of the Social Development Minister.18 Investigation has begun regarding the installation of an oxygen plant in the District Hospital of Rukum West. The Health Services Office had started the procurement of tank and pipeline to complete the installation, but the provincial committee of Karnali Province has ordered a stop to the process.19 The National Human Rights Commission has said its attention has been drawn towards the fact that citizens’ right to health treatment has been at risk amidst the current crisis. It has said that during its inspection, it discovered that people lost their 16 Onlinekhabar 17 Ratopati 18 Baarhakhari 19 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 6 lives due to shortage of ICUs, ventilators and oxygen in many districts including Kaski, Morang, and Jhapa among others.20 The risk of COVID-19 infection is high on people who consume tobacco. In an interaction program organized by the Ministry of Health and Population and Action Nepal, Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, World Health Organization Representative to Nepal said, COVID-19 infection will affect those who consume tobacco more as their lungs are already damaged by the tobacco.21 Daily wage laborers of Parsa have been facing difficulties to make ends meet due to the prohibitory orders.
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