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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 21, 2021
Kathmandu, Nepal
EMERGING THEME(S)
• 8,227 new cases of COVID-19, 190 deaths reported on May 20; 2,599 deaths reported in last 36 days; infection rate in
Kathmandu Valley seems to be declining, on the rise outside of the Valley; National Public Health Laboratory facilitates
swab collection from homes
• Nepal making frantic diplomatic efforts to secure COVID-19 vaccines; Health and Foreign Affairs ministry officials blame
each other for not doing enough to acquire vaccines on time
• COVID-19 patients choosing to self-medicate or rely on local pharmacies for treatment proving to be fatal, point out
health expert; non-COVID patients reluctant to visit hospitals for fear of getting infected; people of hill, mountain regions
not going for tests, opting for self-medication
• Locals of Itahari’s Sunaulo Basti run away as team arrives to carry out Antigen Testing, 9 tested, 8 test positive for
COVID-19
• Pregnant Jhapa woman who tested COVID-19 positive abandoned by husband, kicked out by landlord, neighbors bar
her from coming to parents’ home
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)
• Informal sector workers hit the hardest by the ongoing lockdown; international flight ban lands migrant workers in difficult
place
• Kathmandu Metropolitan City has intensified COVID-19 testing in crowded areas
• Chitwan District Administration Office stops charging fee to cremate COVID-dead, other districts still asking for fees
citing lack of budget
ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS
A total of 8,227 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country on May 20 in the last 24 hours taking the nationwide tally
to 488,645, and as many as 190 COVID-19 patients succumbed to the disease, following which death toll from the respiratory
contagion has reached 5,847.2
In the past 36 days 2,599 people have died due to COVID-19 in Nepal. On May 19 Nepal reported 246 COVID-19 deaths, the
highest death in 24 hours as of now. Experts have claimed that the death rate has increased as the infected are dying of the
infection due to the shortage of oxygen, ICUs and ventilators.3
The rate of COVID-19 infection is seen to be declining in Kathmandu Valley, but it has been increasing outside the Valley. The
daily infection rate is increasing mostly in districts of Province 1 and 2.4
A total of 232 people died in the past week in Gandaki Province of COVID-19, indicating a high death rate there.5
2
THTOnline
3
Kantipur
4
Nayapatrika
WHE Communications Intelligence 3The infection and death rate due to COVID-19 is increasing in Province 1. In the last 54 days, 249 people have succumbed to COVID-19.6 People can now call healthcare workers home for swab sample collection. The National Public Health Laboratory has issued a guideline for this, and they will be charged an extra amount of Rs 500 for home service.7 The Ministry of Health and Population has made agreements for free treatment of COVID-19 infected in 10 hospitals of Sudurpaschim. Before this it had revealed plans to run COVID-care units in 30 private and community hospitals.8 COVID-19 has been confirmed in 500 police personnel who have taken the first dose of vaccine against it. 9 The treatment and counter-actions have not moved ahead effectively despite COVID-19 infection spreading in the mountainous districts of Karnali.10 Three brothers of a family in Nepalgunj succumbed to COVID-19 within a gap of 36 hours. Their sister also passed away after hearing their news.11 A family in Khotang was forced to charter a helicopter at Rs 320,000 to airlift three of its COVID-infected members after treatment was not possible at the primary health center there.12 Airlines will be allowed to charge Rs 100,000 more than the actual fare while airlifting critically-ill COVID-19 patients, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.13 The coronavirus infection that spread from a wedding feast in Kaligandaki of Gulmi has caused two deaths, while 74 have 5 Ratopati 6 Ratopati 7 Onlinekhabar 8 Baarhakhari 9 Baarhakhari 10 Kantipur 11 Annapurna Post 12 Nagarik 13 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 4
been infected.14 The COVID-19 infection has been spreading rapidly in the rural areas of Dhanusha due to wedding feasts organized defying the prohibitory orders.15 Nepal is making frantic diplomatic efforts to secure COVID-19 vaccines to prop up its faltering inoculation drive as its stocks run out and supply prospects have become clouded by a prolonged Indian curb on vaccine exports. India was unlikely to resume major exports of COVID-19 vaccines until October at the earliest as it diverts shots for domestic use, a longer-than- expected delay set to worsen a shortage of supplies coming through the COVAX global vaccine sharing scheme, designed to help low-income countries.16 Nepal’s vaccine conundrum has continued — no immediate information on when the country will be able to acquire enough jabs to inoculate 72 per cent of its 30 million population, or when those 1.3 million people who have taken the first shots of Covishield will get their second shot. Officials could only say that work to get the vaccines is ongoing on a war footing, but were unable to say when the vaccines will arrive in Nepal. Officials at the Foreign Affairs and Health ministries however pointed at each other for not doing enough to acquire vaccines on time.17 Nepal will not be able to get the COVID-19 vaccines from India and China immediately. Nepal has started diplomatic efforts with India again to procure the vaccine. The procurement process with China has not begun yet, reducing the possibility of immediate arrival of vaccines.18 The COVAX program is short of 140,000,000 doses of vaccine. The COVID-19 infection spreading in India has made it difficult for the program to manage the needed vaccine. The Serum Institute of India, which had promised the highest doses of vaccine, has stopped exports since March.19 COVID-19 patients choosing to self-medicate or relying on local pharmacies for treatment over visiting a hospital is proving 14 Onlinekhabar 15 Baarhakhari 16 Reuters (in The Himalayan Times) 17 The Kathmandu Post 18 Nayapatrika 19 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 5
fatal for them, according to Dr Sudarshan Thapa, Senior Consultant of Lumbini Provincial Hospital. Dr Thapa says most people are taking antibiotics for illnesses with COVID-19 symptoms, adding that it is wrong to treat COVID-19 as typhoid, flu or other bacterial diseases as wrong medicines may lead to bacterial infections and make the patients sicker.20 As the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the public with health complications are reluctant to visit the hospitals fearing COVID-19 infection, which according to doctors, could be deadly, especially for people with pre-existing conditions. The number of patients visiting for follow-ups and general query is low in many hospitals.21 COVID-19 infection has increased in the rural hilly regions of the country. Despite showing similar symptoms similar to that of COVID-19, most people do not go for tests. They are instead staying at home and taking medicines for viral fever and typhoid. Also, there is a risk of people losing their lives due to the lack of treatment in the hilly and mountainous districts. 22 The locals of Sunaulo Basti of Itahari ran away when a medical team reached the village to conduct Antigen Test. It managed to conduct the test on nine people with much difficulty; eight of them tested positive.23 A pregnant woman in Jhapa, who tested positive for COVID-19, has been abandoned by her husband. The landlord has also kicked her out, while the neighbors have not allowed her to enter her parents’ home. 24 A sharp spike in the coronavirus cases prompted the government to impose the prohibitory orders as an attempt to break the chain of transmission. The decrease in the mobility of people certainly helps lessen the spread of the contagion but it also stops most of the economic activities and as a result, the people working in the informal sector suffer the most. An assessment by the United Nations Development Program last year had found that 60 per cent of the employees in the micro and small 20 The Kathmandu Post 21 The Kathmandu Post 22 Kantipur 23 Annapurna Post 24 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 6
businesses had lost their jobs while they saw a fall of 95 per cent in average monthly income during the lockdown. The report showed the tourism and hospitality industry suffered the most.25 The Nepal government banned all international flights except for two weekly flights to India on May 6, and it has been extended till May 31. This has meant many migrant workers in various destination countries won’t be able to return home, while those who had found placements won’t be able to report to work. The hardest hit are those who had bought their air tickets and job contracts expired.26 The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has intensified tests in crowded areas as the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising at an alarming level. Of a total of 402 people tested via the Antigen Test in the Kalimati Vegetables and Fruit Market on May 18, 12 tested positive. Tests were conducted at Tukucha Vegetable Market on May 19. The Antigen Test will be stepped up in more populated areas such as Asan, Dillibazaar, New Road, Baluwatar and Koteshwor, and also in Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square. A target has been set to perform such tests among 10,000 people. KMC has also intensified PCR testing and is planning to collect swabs for PCR tests in 16 sites. Six-hundred people will be tested daily in 32 wards.27 Despite 12 vendors at the Kalimati Vegetables and Fruits Market found to be infected with COVID-19, the crowd of people has not reduced there. The police have not been able to control the crowd and buyers do not listen to them. 28 The District Administration Office Chitwan has stopped charging a monetary fee it was taking for the cremation of the COVID- dead. However, other districts have been taking money citing lack of budget.29 25 The Kathmandu Post 26 The Kathmandu Post 27 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 28 Onlinekhabar 29 Nayapatrika WHE Communications Intelligence 7
OTHER(S)
National News
Those who have not got the second dose of Covishield vaccine despite being in first priority will be inoculated with the vaccine
in stock in districts and provinces. The eligible ones are frontliners including healthcare workers, security personnel and
sanitation staff.30
The Ministry of Health and Population is set to give the second dose of Vero Cell vaccine to those who are out of the Valley in
their respective villages.31
Lalitpur Metropolitan City started inoculating people with the second dose of Vero Cell vaccine from May 20. 32
A total of 43,018 people were administered the second dose of Vero Cell from vaccination centers of the Kathmandu
Metropolitan City in four days.33
The Supreme Court on May 19 issued an interim order to the Ministry of Finance asking it not to collect value added tax or
impose fine on taxpayers for not paying taxes during the period of the ongoing prohibitory orders. 34
The e-business Association Nepal has asked the government to allow vehicles doing home delivery in a safe manner to run
during the prohibitory orders. It has stated that this will encourage the public to stay at home, helping to reduce the spread of
infection.35
30
Ratopati
31
Kantipur
32
Baarhakhari
33
Baarhakhari
34
The Himalayan Times
35
Nayapatrika
WHE Communications Intelligence 8The Ghar Bahal Sarokar Mahasangh has asked for 50 per cent discount on house rent for tenants with low income during the period of prohibitory orders.36 HOSPITALS and HEALTHCARE FACILITIES The Ministry of Health and Population has corrected some of its data on the availability of beds, ventilators and ICUs in the hospitals of Kathmandu. However, the information still has errors.37 The proper management of Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku has made it an efficient hospital in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. According to its director Dr Sagar Rajbhandari, they had been preparing for a possible disaster since the first lockdown. They started making plans to fight the pandemic.38 The doctors involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients are finding this year to be more painful being able to save lives, many of whom are youngsters. The unavailability of treatment facilities as well as oxygen has also caused the deaths of many which have added to the doctors’ woes.39 The doctors in the COVID ward of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital are having a difficult time as there are not sufficient ICUs for the patients, and many have died due to this very reason. They cannot save everyone even if the beds are empty. They also fear returning home as they are afraid of carrying home the infection with them. One nurse is always scared when she returns home as she has to breastfeed her 16-month old child.40 A surgical building with 650 beds was constructed at a cost of Rs 2,260,000,000 at the Bir Hospital. Likewise, the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj has an eight-storey cancer building. The 270 beds of Bir and 200 beds of TUTH can be brought into operation immediately, but the government has not paid attention to it. 41 36 Ratopati 37 Onlinekhabar 38 Onlinekhabar 39 Nagarik 40 Onlinekhabar 41 Nayapatrika WHE Communications Intelligence 9
The Gandaki Provincial government has recommended making the biggest government hospital of the province, the Paschimanchal Regional Hospital, into a COVID hospital.42 Lack of medicine, equipment and doctors at the Bardibas Hospital of Bardibas has led to the untimely death of COVID-19 patients.43 The COVID-19 patients are finding it difficult to stay in the Mechi Provincial Hospital as the garbage that is littered all around the hospital and on its premises has not been collected for days.44 The patients in the rural areas of Parsa have been facing problems after the only government hospital there shut down its OPD service as it has started treating COVID-19 patients there.45 The hospitals of Banke — Bheri Hospital and Nepalgunj Medical College — are still bearing the pressure of critically-ill COVID- 19 patients. Though the infection has declined in the district in the last three days, the pressure of critical patients has not, as per Dr Parash Pandey, anesthesiologist of Bheri Hospital.46 Four ventilators could not come into operation due to lack of experts to operate them in Siraha District Hospital. Patients are being sent to other health facilities due to this.47 A 10-bed COVID hospital has started operating at the Bijaypur Hospital of Dharan.48 The Dhaulagiri Hospital in Baglung has started to face the shortage of oxygen.49 42 Setopati 43 Annapurna Post 44 Nayapatrika 45 Annapurna Post 46 Nagarik 47 The Himalayan Times 48 Annapurna Post 49 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 10
A 15-bed COVID ward has come into operation at the Nepal-India Friendship Hospital of Mitrapark with the support of Lions Club of Kathmandu Samarpan.50 Bhaktapur Municipality is set to start its own oxygen plant at Khowpa Hospital.51 A committee has been formed to set up an oxygen plant at the Paschimanchal Regional Hospital of Pokhara. The plant is expected to be helpful in the long-term management of oxygen for COVID-19 patients along with people suffering from other illnesses.52 The COVID-infected in Doti, who are staying in home isolation, fear they have been spreading the infection to their family members as the rooms are not spacious, and all have to stay together sharing the same toilet and tap. 53 Different local levels and organizations have been operating isolation centers across the nation with the surge in COVID-19 infections. However, not all are properly managed — some do not have human resources, others lack equipment. Likewise, isolation centers operated without following government’s protocols can be dangerous to people living nearby if they are in areas of dense populations.54 DUTY and RESPONSIBILITIES A team of healthcare workers, including a doctor, is providing treatment and counseling at the homes of COVID-19 patients in the village of Manikanda at Jagarnath Rural Municipality, Bajura. The village has 20 COVID-19 patients who are all in home isolation.55 As the second wave of COVID-19 infection has been rapidly spreading in the district, the staff of the local levels of Myagdi 50 Baarhakhari 51 Nagarik 52 Baarhakhari 53 Onlinekhabar 54 Baarhakhari 55 The Himalayan Times WHE Communications Intelligence 11
have been visiting communities for swab collection, Antigen Test, distribution of medicine and carrying critically-ill patients to hospitals in ambulances.56 The Bheriganga Municipality of Surkhet has been delivering healthcare materials and nutritious food to homes of the COVID- infected there.57 Fifty per cent of staff working in the COVID hospital brought into the operation by Birendranagar Municipality are women ranging from security guards to doctors.58 Nepal Army, which had been drawn into controversy regarding procurement of healthcare materials during the first wave of COVID-19, has been working at oxygen management this time. Along with bringing oxygen to Kathmandu from different places, it has also been extending help to set up oxygen plants.59 HELP and AWARENESS Healthcare materials sent by Spain have arrived at the Tribhuvan International Airport — it includes more than five tonnes of COVID-related materials.60 Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali had held a telephonic conversation with Minister for External Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain Arancha Gonzalez Laya on May 19. Gyawali thanked the government of Spain for the generous support of medical equipment and supplies. Spain is sending a consignment in a chartered flight on May 20 that include ventilators, oxygen concentrators and PPEs.61 56 Nagarik 57 Nagarik 58 Setopati 59 Ratopati 60 Setopati 61 The Himalayan Times WHE Communications Intelligence 12
The Tibet government has provided emergency healthcare materials — liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators and cylinders — to Nepal. They are being brought to the country via Lhasa.62 Britain has given assurances to Nepal to help it fight COVID-19. In a virtual meeting on May 19 with Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali, British Minister of State for Commonwealth and Development Affairs Tariz Ahmad said British government would continue its support to health and other sectors of Nepal.63 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has asked British Ambassador Nicola Pollitt for the UK to provide the AstraZeneca vaccine to Nepal.64 Health experts and vaccine researchers of the UK have requested their government to provide Nepal with the vaccine for COVID-19 and other essential healthcare materials.65 According to a tweet from the US Embassy in Kathmandu, the USA is providing different healthcare materials to Nepal very soon.66 The Kispang Rural Municipality has provided Rs 1,000,000 to add an ICU at Trishuli Hospital of Nuwakot.67 The Sohan Lal-Rampyari Devi Foundation has given Rs 4,100,000 to the Seti Provincial Hospital for the treatment and control of COVID-19.68 The Confederation of Nepalese Industries has distributed 200 units of oxygen cylinders to nine hospitals across the nation via the Ministry of Health and Population.69 62 Onlinekhabar 63 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 64 Onlinekhabar 65 Onlinekhabar 66 Onlinekhabar 67 Onlinekhabar 68 Setopati WHE Communications Intelligence 13
The mobile doctor service, conducted for the journalists of Sunsari, is becoming effective. Doctors have been visiting the infected journalists’ home and providing service.70 The Mechinagar Municipality of Jhapa is set to operate a free X-ray machine for its COVID-19-positive residents.71 The children of Dailekh are making informative materials to raise awareness on coronavirus and prevent its spread in the district. Fifty-four such children are making such informative drawings and putting them on display on the doors of their houses and at public places.72 President Bidya Devi Bhandari issued a COVID-19 Crisis Management Ordinance on May 20.73 The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) is set to make a separate mechanism for the containment, treatment and control of the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of its President Puspa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. It has also decided to demand for the dissolving of the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center.74 The Nepali Congress has submitted a 15-point attention letter on control treatment and containment of COVID-19 to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Pointing out the government’s weaknesses, it has raised questions on the efficiency of the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center.75 The Nepal Teachers Association has started its second phase of protest — some of their demands include anti-COVID vaccine for teachers, treatment of COVID-19 infected teachers, and compensation for families of teachers who died due to COVID- 19.76 69 Annapurna Post 70 Onlinekhabar 71 Setopati 72 Annapurna Post 73 Setopati 74 Onlinekhabar 75 Onlinekhabar 76 Baarhakhari WHE Communications Intelligence 14
Fifty per cent of the industries in the nation have remained closed due to the COVID-induced prohibitory orders. Out of those
that are being operated, production is only at 30-40 per cent.77
Police on May 19 briefly held as many as 6,839 persons in various districts for violating prohibitory orders, while a total of
5,490 vehicles, both four- and two-wheelers, were detained by on-duty traffic cops.78
A total of 40 Spanish nationals stranded in Nepal since the prohibitory orders were imposed on April 29 were to be flown to
Spain on a chartered flight on May 19.79
International News
India on May 19 reported more coronavirus deaths — 4,529 — in a single day than any other country.80
The Singapore and India governments berated senior India opposition politician Arvind Kejriwal on May 19 for fanning a
coronavirus scare between their countries, saying the comments were not based on facts and were “irresponsible”. 81
77
Nayapatrika
78
The Himalayan Times
79
Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times)
80
The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)
81
Reuters (in The Kathmandu Post)
WHE Communications Intelligence 15Contacts 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: 21MAY21MM_14B WHE Communications Intelligence 16
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