After Authorities Failed to Ramp up Antigen Tests, Kits Are Close to Expiry
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WI THOUT F EAR O R F A V O U R Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 175 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.6 C 14.5 C Thursday, August 12, 2021 | 28-04-2078 Dipayal Jomsom What new global climate After authorities report that paints a bleak failed to ramp up picture means for Nepal While poor nations should press rich countries to scale up antigen tests, kits aid, they should also try to be part of solution, experts say. CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL But the latest findings of the are close to expiry KATHMANDU, AUG 11 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has warned that On Monday, when the global temperatures are likely to rise Health Ministry in May planned 25,000 antigen tests a day, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, Change—the world’s leading authori- breaching the threshold set by the 2015 but numbers hover around 5,000. Experts say no one is ty on climate science—released its Paris Agreement, and inviting fury of report, it clearly spelt out a harsher extreme weather and even more seri- paying attention to testing, first step in fighting the virus. future for humanity. ous and frequent fires, droughts, The report, which is said to be the floods and cyclones that are expected ARJUN POUDEL Disease Control Division (EDCD) most comprehensive climate report to wreak havoc on humanity. KATHMANDU, AUG 11 issued a circular asking all concerned ever released, has explicitly warned According to the findings, prepared agencies to perform the maximum that climate change is likely to cause by hundreds of scientists from around In the last week of May, the govern- tests possible on the basis of “first global temperature to increase by the world, the global temperature ment sent around 1.7 million antigen expiry first out”. more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, has already increased by about 1.1 test kits to different parts of the coun- “This is yet another bungling by unleashing more serious and frequent degrees Celsius since industrialisa- try, with a view to ramping up tests in our authorities. Had they stuck to extreme weather across the world. tion (1850-1900). light of the rising number of cases in their plan of conducting around The United Nations Secretary- Rising temperatures, which could the rural areas. The Ministry of 25,000 antigen tests every day, the General Antonio Guterres described lead to more devastation for people Health said it had plans to perform situation would have been different,” the new report as a ‘code red for around the world, will also ring simi- over 25,000 antigen tests a day. But like said Dr GD Thakur, former director at humanity’. “The alarm bells are deaf- lar warning bells for countries like any other government plan, it also the Epidemiology and Disease Control ening and the evidence is irrefutable: Nepal, considered one of the most seems to have remained in drawers. Division. Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil vulnerable in the world to climate The number of tests per day hovers “Testing is the first of the three Ts, fuel burning and deforestation are change impacts. around just 5,000. the other two being tracing and treat- choking our planet and putting bil- According to climate change Hundreds of thousands of antigen ing, considered the most effective lions of people at immediate risk,” experts, the latest IPCC report is one test kits are now close to their expiry, measure to contain the virus spread.” said Guterres. “This report must more scientific document, providing just as the number of infections in After Nepal escaped somewhat sound a death knell for coal and fossil more evidence of effects of climate communities continues to rise. On unscathed from the first wave of the fuels, before they destroy our planet.” change and a harsher future, also Monday, the Epidemiology and pandemic, which began in January The latest report, which is the first strongly backing up previous under- last year, complacency set in part of the Sixth Assessment Report, standings on climate change. among the authorities. But when Climate Change 2021: The Physical “The report has clearly stated that the second wave hit the country Science Basis, has highlighted that the global temperatures will surpass in April third week, Nepal’s earth’s temperature could rise by the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius or health system cracked under the more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above even 2 degrees Celsius in about two strain as cases surged. pre-industrial levels within the next decades. The report came out when Experts stressed ramping up two decades. North America witnessed its worst tests—both polymerase chain In 2015, countries agreed to keep forest fire season and Europe was dev- reaction and antigen. global warming to below 2 degrees astated by unprecedented floods along Until the last week of May, Celsius, ideally limit it to 1.5 degrees with China, Turkey and even Nepal,” labs performing polymerase Celsius, by the end of this century as said Raju Pandit Chhetri, an expert on POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC chain reaction (PCR) tests were part of the landmark Paris Agreement climate change. A child sits on the way under a pair of umbrellas as an elderly farmer passes by at Khokana on running in full capacity. by amping up required efforts. >> Continued on page 2 Wednesday. Farmers in Lalitpur are busy weeding paddies. >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL BRIEFING What new global climate ... >> Continued from page 1 livelihoods and public and private proper- Two dead in tractor crash “As the earth’s temperature has already ties at risk. SALYAN: Two persons died and three risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius, the world and A 2019 study, which assessed the world’s others sustained serious injuries in a countries like Nepal are heading towards 78 mountain glacier-based water systems tractor accident in Kalimati Rural more extreme climate events in the for the first time and ranked their signifi- Municipality-4, Salyan on Tuesday. future.” cance to the downstream communities and The vehicle, which was heading to The report said it is unequivocal that their vulnerabilities in terms of various human influence has warmed the atmos- factors, including future changes, conclud- Putalibazaar from Chambutara, phere, ocean and land as widespread and ed that over 1.9 billion people could face swerved off the road and plunged rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, water shortage in future. around 60 metres below. The injured cryosphere and biosphere have occurred. “Rapid melting of glaciers can impact are receiving treatment in Tulsipur. Scientists have pointed out that the water availability and livelihoods, causing scale of recent changes across the climate significant effects on communities that Eight people diagnosed with system are unprecedented over many cen- are dependent on mountains. There can be turies to many thousands of years. The scenarios where we will either have too scrub typhus in Darchula report further highlighted that human-in- much or too little water, disturbing food DARCHULA: Eight fever patients have duced climate change is already affecting security in both cases,” said Chhetri. been diagnosed with scrub typhus in many weather and climate extremes in “Distortion in monsoon rainfall pat- Darchula in the last few weeks. every region across the globe. tern—extreme rainfall in a short period of Dambar Dutta Bhatta, the informa- The report has mentioned that evidence time—can also cause similar cases of too tion officer at Darchula District of observed changes in extremes such as much water or too little water, which can Hospital, said six persons from heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, lead to flooding or inundation or pro- Mahakali Municipality and one each and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, longed droughts. Such conditions can from Byas and Malikarjun rural their attribution to human influence, has impact not only life and livelihood, which municipalities were found infected strengthened since the Fifth Assessment are visible, but also public health, local with scrub typhus in the district. Report (AR5) which was released in 2014. culture, and biodiversity, which are not The impacts of climate change, as point- often taken into account.” ed out by the latest report, are also visible Although changing climate will have a Doctor held on rape charge in countries like Nepal where tempera- cumulative effect, the country is ill-pre- tures have gone up and there have been pared, says Chhetri. in Dhankuta changes in rainfall patterns in recent “In recent years, we have borne the DHANKUTA: Police arrested a doctor on years just while the country has also expe- wrath of many extreme weather events. a rape charge from Dhankuta Ward rienced extreme weather events such as Unfortunately, Nepal is not prepared to No. 7 on Monday. According to DSP massive floods, forest fires, droughts and deal with any weather extremes. We do not Dipak Kumar Raya, a doctor from extreme-rainfall-triggered landslides. have localised climatic and scientific Subhash Medical, a private hospital “As the temperature, the major factor in information,” said Chhetri. in Dhankuta, was arrested on the triggering global warming, is likely to “Whatever we have is not localised and charge of raping a 53-year-old patient post PHoto: ELITE JosHI continue to increase, incidents of extreme not available in the language understood at the hospital. A boy selling cotton candy sits outside a temple at Mangalbazar, Lalitpur on Wednesday. events will obviously go up around the by the general public.