Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal
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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 20, 2021 Kathmandu, Nepal EMERGING THEME(S) • Epidemiology and Disease Control Division says new COVID-19 variant — B.1.617.2 — is 50 per cent more infectious than previous variants; it is aggressive and deadly, warns Director of Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital • Nepal reports 8,064 new COVID-19 infections, 246 deaths on May 19; infection in Nepal reported as being highest in age group of 20-39 years, those in 30-39 group most affected • Government finally starts procurement process of COVID-19 vaccines from India and Russia, has not initiated it with China as Department of Drug Administration does not have address of Chinese company to send the correspondence to; Serum Institute of India will start exporting its COVID-19 vaccine only by the yearend • Maternal mortality up as COVID-19 second wave disrupts health services putting pregnant women, new mothers at greater risk • Government charging from Rs 18,000 to 28,000 for wood needed for cremation of COVID-dead; COVID-19 Crisis Management Center says government is bearing the cost of managing the bodies of COVID-dead • Government’s plan to start ‘Unified COVID Hospital’ in Bir Hospital’s new building not materializing; hospital makes preparations to start operations on its own; government to provide free COVID-19 treatment at 30 private hospitals of seven provinces; sets up two case monitoring committees under Dr Bhagwan Koirala • Department of Drug Administration gives Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal permission to produce remdesivir; shortage of different medicines used in the treatment of COVID-19 reported 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 RECURRING THEME(S) • Lumbini hospitals ill-equipped to handle the rising COVID-19 infections; many locals of Lumbini, Palpa, Kapilvastu, Bardiya found to be buying cold-cough medicines from pharmacies to treat COVID-like symptoms; Dang bans pharmacies from selling remdesivir, people become more susceptible to black market danger • Scrapping of quota system has eased oxygen distribution, supply to hospitals to an extent • India-returnees in Bajura not following quarantine, isolation protocols, seen to be mingling freely with families, roaming around ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has said the new COVID variant B.1.617.2 is found to be 50 per cent more infectious than the variant found before this. According to Head of EDCD Dr Krishna Paudel, the variant’s infection is high in the age group 20-44.2 The Indian variant of coronavirus that has been spreading in Nepal, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on May 18, is aggressive and deadly, according to Dr Sagar Rajbhandari, Director of Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku.3 Virologist Dr Basudev Pandey has claimed that the new variant discovered by MoHP has already been here since the last two months. The statement released by MoHP is of no use at this time as people have already been dying due to this variant.4 On May 19, 8,064 more people contracted COVID-19 infection taking the nationwide tally to 480,418, while as many as 246 patients succumbed to the virus in the past 24 hours, following which the death toll from the respiratory contagion has reached 2 Setopati 3 Onlinekhabar 4 Setopati WHE Communications Intelligence 3 5,657.5 The COVID-19 infection in Nepal has been reported as being the highest in the age group of 20-39 years. Among them, those between the age of 30-39 are the most affected.6 COVID-19 infection has been found in 26 per cent of the population tested by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.7 The COVID-19 infection rate has been found to have remained the same in Kathmandu Valley, according to data of the last two weeks. The prohibitory orders were issued to control the spread of the infection. However, the infection rate has not gone down. As it is difficult to get treatment in hospitals, we should not go out unnecessarily, according to Kali Prasad Parajuli, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu.8 COVID-infections have been reported from rural areas of Kalikot upon conducting Antigen Test in Palata Rural Municipality- 2, Banjada after the locals there were reported to be suffering from fever and cough. 9 COVID-19 infection has been confirmed in Sunaulo Tole of Itahari where seven out of nine tested positive in Antigen Test. More than 25 people of the Tole had fallen ill.10 The COVID-19 pandemic has become the cause of psychological problems in people of Rolpa, but no one has paid attention to this.11 The government has started the vaccine procurement process 15 days after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stated that the Nepal government had already started the process. The Department of Drug Administration (DDA) sent the proposals to the related companies for Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik-V vaccines on May 18 for the procurement of 2,000,000 doses. However, the proposal has not been sent to the Chinese company for Vero Cell vaccine as they have not found the address to 5 THTOnline 6 Annapurna Post 7 Setopati 8 Baarhakhari 9 Onlinekhabar 10 Annapurna Post 11 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 4 send the correspondence letter, as per Dr Bhim Singh Tinkari, Chief of the Supply Division of DDA — this excuse has been made at a time when the vaccine manufacturing company Sinopharm and Chinese authorities are already in contact with the Nepali Embassy in Beijing. The leadership at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has not been able to take bold decisions, hence the dilly-dallying, according to Sushil Pyakurel, former chief specialist of the MoHP. 12 Nepal will need to wait for another eight months to get the India-produced vaccine against COVID-19. The Serum Institute of India has issued a statement clarifying that it will be able to export the vaccine only by the end of the year as its priority for now is India.13 The eight local levels of Udayapur district have decided to procure the vaccines against COVID-19 by using next year’s infrastructure development budget to buy the vaccines.14 The government is set to inoculate 360 people of Chhangaru and Tinkar of Byas Rural Municipality-1 of Darchula. The locals of Byas go to Khalanga for six months to avoid the winter cold. Now they are headed to Chhangaru and Tinkar to avoid the summer of Khalanga, where they will be given the anti-COVID shots.15 The Ministry of Health and Population has asked people who are out of the Valley but eligible to get the second dose of Vero Cell vaccine to register their names at the health division of their respective local levels.16 With the new coronavirus infections continuing and the subsequent disruptions in healthcare services they are causing, the risk to lives of pregnant women and new mothers has increased. What is of concern is that more maternal deaths are being recorded of late, according to Dr Punya Poudel, Chief of Motherhood Program at the Family Welfare Division — 225 maternal 12 Kantipur 13 Onlinekhabar 14 Kantipur 15 Baarhakhari 16 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 5 deaths were recorded across the country in less than five weeks between March 24 and April 28. Normally there are fewer than 100 maternal deaths throughout the country in a month, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.17 The government had spent Rs 12,000,000,000 last year in the name COVID-19, this year it has released Rs 6,000,000,000. It has put aside another Rs 4,000,000,000 to use whenever needed. However, the government is just watching when the common people are spending millions of rupees for the treatment of COVID-19. The government has also been charging anything from Rs 18,000 to Rs 28,000 for wood needed for cremation of the dead. The public are forced to pay for cremation in many districts from Morang in the east to Surkhet in the west.18 The COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC) has claimed that the government decision to manage the bodies of COVID-dead free of cost is being implemented effectively. The spokesperson of CCMC Khagaraj Baral claimed that Nepal Army is managing the bodies while the government is bearing the cost. 19 Kavrepalanchowk district will make provisions to cremate the bodies of their COVID-dead in the district itself, according to District COVID-19 Crisis Management Center. They will be cremated in six places identified by the local levels there.20 Death rituals have become chaotic in Dang. Those who are healthy enough are completing the rites in the time as prescribed by religion, while many COVID-infected family members are postponing the rituals to be performed later.21 The plan to operate a ‘Unified COVID Hospital’ in the new building of Bir Hospital has not materialized due to the shortage of oxygen. The May 8 Cabinet meeting had made a decision to make it the Unified COVID Hospital, but now Bir Hospital has made preparations to start the treatment service in the building on its own.22 The government will now provide free treatment to COVID-19 patients at private hospitals and medical colleges. According to 17 The Kathmandu Post 18 Nayapatrika 19 Nayapatrika 20 Baarhakhari 21 Setopati 22 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 6 Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, Assistant Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, the free treatment will be available in 30 hospitals of the seven provinces.23 The COVID-19 Monitoring Committee has formed two case monitoring committees under the leadership of Dr Bhagwan Koirala, President of Nepal Medical Council.