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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: July 5, 2021
Kathmandu, Nepal
EMERGING THEME(S)
• Nepal to bring 3 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine from China from July 9 to 23 on 3 Nepal Airlines flights in batches of
1 million each
• 350,000 doses of Covishield vaccine under COVAX to arrive in Nepal within July
• Nepal has no idea if US is providing COVID-19 vaccines directly or through COVAX, or how many doses or even when
• Nepal reported 1,042 new COVID-19 cases, 27 deaths on July 4; coronavirus infection rate climbed to 26 per cent in
recent days, has not decreased as expected; Kanchanpur seeing rise in COVID-19 cases after relaxation of restrictions
— 113 active cases on July 2 as against 80 five days earlier; risk of infection at community level has increased in
Lumbini as deaths and new infections rise since relaxation of restrictions; 4 have died, 4 lost their vision due to
mucormycosis
• Kathmandu Valley has extended prohibitory orders with more relaxations in place till July 15; lifts odd-even number rule
for all types of vehicles from July 6, all shops to remain open till 6:00pm, allows academic exams to be held in physical
presence of students
• Ex-health minister Hridayesh Tripathi warns against opening Nepal for COVID-19 vaccine trials
• Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s move to whitewash mural in honor of COVID-19 warriors at Ratnapark condemned
• Indian border checkpost near Gaddachauki has made PCR test report mandatory for Nepalis entering India from there;
Nepalis started going to India for job opportunities has increased after decrease in COVID-19 cases
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)
• Health Ministry finds Biratnagar’s Birat Medical College has charged the government for hospital fees of 21 COVID-19
patients who’ve paid on their own; Chitwan Medical College and Kathmandu Medical College have done the same too;
Morang District Administration Office requests Health Ministry not to reimburse Birat Medical College without proper
investigation
ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS
The government-procured Vero Cell vaccine will be brought from China this week. The decisions have been made to bring
3,000,000 doses of China’s Vero Cell vaccine from July 9 to 23 via three flights of Nepal Airlines (NA). According to Dim
Prasad Paudel, Director General of NA, each flight will bring 1,000,000 doses of the vaccine. There has been a non-disclosure
agreement between the Nepal government and China’s Sinopharm company regarding the vaccine, and the cost of the
vaccine therefore has not been revealed. The Nepal government has bought the vaccine on condition that its cost won’t be
revealed for four years, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. However, a source has claimed that the
government has paid US$ 14 per dose.2
According to Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, preparations have been
made to bring the Vero Cell vaccine from China on a weekly basis in different phases from July 8 when the supply of the
vaccine will begin.3
The government has purchased 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China’s pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm.
A Nepal Airlines plane is set to fly to Beijing on July 8, which will bring around 1 million doses of vaccine in the first
consignment. Flights are scheduled for July 15 and July 22. However, public health as well as immunization experts have said
that they are concerned about the vaccine storage, management capacity of authorities and mass communication strategy. “If
2
Kantipur
3
Nayapatrika
WHE Communications Intelligence 3we do not make plans and preparations to start immunization immediately after the arrival of the first consignment of vaccines, there will be problems in storage too,” said Bhogendra Dotel , former director at the management division of the Department of Health Services.4 The government has made preparations to inoculate people between the ages 55 to 62 with the vaccine it is procuring from China. According to Dr Taranath Pokharel, Chief of the Family Welfare Division, nearly 1,700,000 people out of 3,700,000 above the age of 55 have already been inoculated. Now they plan to give the vaccine to the remaining 2,000,000 population who are above the age of 55, as per him.5 A total of 350,000 doses of Covishield vaccine under the COVAX program will arrive in Nepal within July. This will be the second lot of vaccines that the COVAX will be providing to Nepal.6 Nearly 200,000 people in all the nine districts of the Sudurpaschim Province have been waiting for the second dose of Covishield vaccine, according to the Provincial Health Directorate.7 The White House had announced that approximately 7 million doses would be given to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and the Pacific Islands through COVAX. There was no clarity on the number of doses Nepal would receive. It’s exactly a month since the announcement but Nepal has not received a single dose of vaccine yet. Though US Ambassador Randy Berry claimed that Nepal would receive “direct” vaccine support from the Joe Biden administration, Nepali officials in Kathmandu and Washington DC say they have no clue about it. According to multiple officials, as of now Nepali authorities have no idea how many doses Nepal will receive directly from the US or under COVAX. 8 4 The Kathmandu Post 5 Kantipur 6 Baarhakhari 7 Onlinekhabar 8 The Kathmandu Post WHE Communications Intelligence 4
Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 644,622 on July 4 with 1,042 more people testing positive for the infection in the past 24 hours, and the COVID-19 mortality toll shifted to 9,225 with 27 more fatalities. Nepal's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 94.5 per cent, while the fatality rate stands at 1.5 per cent.9 The prohibitory orders imposed some two months ago to control the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted to an extent with the resumption of public vehicles from June 29. Yet the national infection rate is recorded at around 20 per cent. The infection rate even increased to 26 per cent in the past two days. The infection has not decreased as expected due to the lack of sufficient tests and vaccines creating a challenge in the control of the pandemic. The experts have said the relaxation of the prohibitory orders in the Kathmandu Valley this week might lead to an increase in infection. 10 From June 27 onwards, the district authorities in Kanchanpur allowed the operation of businesses and transportation services from 6:00am to 6:00pm. This has contributed to an increase in public movement, leading to a resurgence of coronavirus cases in the district, healthcare workers say. According to the record of the District Health Office, there were only 80 active cases in Kanchanpur before the relaxation of prohibitory orders, but by July 2, five days after the new lockdown rules were introduced, the number of active cases in the district had shot up to 113.11 The risk of the spread of COVID-19 at the community level has increased in Lumbini with the relaxation of the prohibitory orders. The infection rate had decreased there. According to the Health Office in Rupandehi, there were no deaths due to COVID-19 in the first week of Asadh, while five people lost their lives in the second week. Likewise, the number of infections increased from 20 to 45 on July 2. Despite the health office having sufficient Antigen Test kits, the public are not willing to go for the test, and this has increased the fear of the spread of infection, as per Dr Rajendra Giri, Chief of the Health Office.12 The infection rate is stable while the number of COVID-19 deaths has decreased with the relaxation of the prohibitory orders. Some 30-40 people died due to COVID-19 in the past one week. The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 before and after the prohibitory orders is not much different, as per public health expert Dr Rajendra BC. However, the positive 9 THT Online 10 Nagarik 11 The Kathmandu Post 12 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 5
rate being at 20-22 per cent in a small country like Nepal is very high, he said. The daily positive rate has been recorded at 21 to 26 per cent since the relaxation of the prohibitory orders.13 Four people have died while four others have lost their vision due to mucormycosis in Nepal. The eyes of two people had to be taken out and treated for mucormycosis at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital recently. A total of 22 people have been infected with mucormycosis in Nepal as of now. There is a possibility for COVID-19 infected people to get this infection within the three weeks of the infection.14 Post-COVID-19 problems are being seen in people who have recovered from COVID-19 infection. More than 100 people with such problems have started visiting different hospitals of the Kathmandu Valley every day. Their numbers have increased in the hospitals for treatment and consultation with the relaxation of the prohibitory orders.15 More than 90 per cent government offices across the nation have resumed services that had stopped due to the prohibitory orders.16 The odd-even number system has been removed on vehicles plying in Kathmandu Valley, effective from July 6. All private and public vehicles will now be allowed to operate following the public health protocols, as per the decision made by the District Administration Offices of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur. Public vehicles are not allowed to carry more passengers than the seating capacity while the use of masks has been made mandatory. All shops will be allowed to be open till 6:00 pm while maintaining social distance of two meters.17 13 Kantipur 14 Nagarik 15 Annapurna Post 16 Nagarik 17 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 6
The Kathmandu Valley administration has also decided that academic exams be allowed to go ahead with the physical presence of students while following the public health protocols. However, more than 25 individuals cannot be accommodated in an examination hall.18 The Kathmandu Valley administration has removed most of the provisions of the prohibitory orders though restrictions are still in place on all kinds of mass gatherings and conferences, cinema halls, party palaces, dance bars, dohoris, swimming pools, among other places that invite crowds. Teaching, learning with physical presence, worship in temples by the public, gathering in public places, and conducting of Jatras are still prohibited.19 The prohibitory orders have been extended till July 15 in Kathmandu Valley.20 Former health minister Hridayesh Tripathi said he had shown unwillingness to allow trials of COVID-19 vaccines during his tenure as the minister despite different companies trying to get approval to do so. I did not want to allow the Nepali citizens to be guinea pigs in the trials, he said. Tripathi was also worried that if Nepal allowed for a vaccine trial, the COVAX might tell Nepal to wait for that vaccine till its trial becomes successful and use that, which is why he was hesitant to allow the trials. Now it seems some procedures for the trial have already been approved by the Cabinet, but I still say that Nepal should not be involved in it, he said.21 On June 30, half a dozen Kathmandu Metropolitan City policemen whitewashed a mural that had been painted in honor of COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers on the overhead pedestrian crossing at Ratnapark. The mural had been painted by Dujang Sherpa and other artists by taking permission from Chairman of Ward-18 Bhai Ram Khadgi. Following KMC’s highhandedness and insensitivity, there was an uproar against the move. What the City did was wrong, according to Khadgi.22 The health desk of Indian border checkpost near the Gaddachauki border checkpost of Kanchanpur has made PCR test report 18 Onlinekhabar 19 Onlinekhabar 20 Setopati 21 Nagarik 22 The Kathmandu Post WHE Communications Intelligence 7
mandatory for Nepalis entering India from there. As such Nepalis heading to India without the report are being barred from entering India from June 29. Those from the hill districts of Sudurpaschim, heading to India in search of employment opportunities, are facing a problem due to this new provision. Meanwhile, some of them who have been made to return from the checkpost are getting the PCR test done in Mahendranagar, while some are heading to India via Gaurifanta border checkpost of Kailali.23 After the health desk at Jhulaghat border checkpost in Baitadi made the PCR test report of Nepalis entering India mandatory, the number of people opting for the tests has increased in the District Hospital of Baitadi. However, the hospital is trying to lessen as many tests as possible upon the instruction of the District Administration Office. The hospital administration has said they have stopped the tests as the DAO has instructed them to conduct tests only of those who are going to India for emergency purposes. However, Rajendra Dev Pandey, Chief District Officer, claimed they have not stopped the test, rather have asked the hospital to do the tests only of those in emergency as they are facing a shortage of the test kits at present. 24 With the reduction of COVID-19 infection rate in India and relaxation of lockdown, Nepalis have started going back there for job opportunities. According to the data of the District Administration Office Kanchanpur, the number of Nepalis going to India increased from the first week of Asadh (June 15) onwards. The data from June 15 to July 2 shows that a total of 7,744 people returned from India, while three times this number — 22,037 —went to India via Gaurifanta and Gaddachauki border checkposts during the same time.25 Out of 29 COVID-19 patients that the Birat Medical College of Biratnagar had claimed to have treated free of charge and asked compensation from the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) for the same, it was discovered that it had charged money from 21 of them. The Chitwan Medical College of Bharatpur and Kathmandu Medical College of Kathmandu also asked compensation money from the MoHP of patients they had charged money for treatment. They have even asked for the treatment cost in ICU even of those patients treated in general beds. According to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, Joint 23 Kantipur 24 Kantipur 25 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 8
Spokesperson at the MoHP, they are continuing cross-checking the details of the compensation of the free treatment of
COVID-19 patients claimed by the hospitals.26
The District Administration Office Morang has written to the Ministry of Health and Population requesting it not to compensate
the money that the Birat Medical College of Biratnagar has claimed for providing free treatment to COVID-19 patients without
proper investigation. The request has been made after it was found that the College had charged exorbitant fees for the
treatment of such patients.27
OTHER(S)
National News
After the Supreme Court on June 22 ruled that the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli led a caretaker government and the Council
of Ministers could not be expanded, the Cabinet tat present has just five ministers including Oli. The charge of Health Ministry
was given to Minister for Education and Technology Krishna Gopal Shrestha who also heads the Forest and Environment, and
Labor, Employment and Social Security ministries. The question, therefore, according to observers, is how much time Shrestha
will be able to devote to the Health Ministry as the country is battling a deadly second wave of the coronavirus. Former
ministers say it would be extremely difficult to carry out the work, follow up and take necessary decisions in the absence of
dedicated ministers.28
Many Nepalis — in Kapilvastu, Rupandehi, Palpa, and Arghakhanchi — who had returned to Nepal after taking leave from
foreign employment are facing a problem returning as they have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the
26
Kantipur
27
Onlinekhabar
28
The Kathmandu Post
WHE Communications Intelligence 9governments of the respective Gulf countries and the companies where they had been working before have made vaccination mandatory. The Nepal government, however, has not been able to provide the vaccine to such people that has affected their plans to go for foreign employment.29 People wanting to go for foreign employment might be affected this year as nations providing employment are making vaccination mandatory. As of now, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have made vaccines mandatory for laborers entering these countries, while Saudi Arabia and Oman are also planning the same. As such Nepali youth who have remained unemployed for a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic might be deprived of foreign employment opportunities too as the Nepal government has been unable to provide them the vaccine.30 Foreign employment-related service provider agencies say they feel ignored as the government has not considered providing them relief while their businesses remain badly affected for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-departure training providing institutes and health institutions that conduct the medical examination of aspiring migrant workers complained that the government left them to fend for themselves amid the worst crisis in decades.31 People from poor households affected by COVID-19 pandemic have got employment opportunities in their own villages in Dailekh. The employment is being provided by the Bhakari project for all daily wage workers who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.32 The Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal has provided medicines worth Rs 4,000,000 to the government to help in the treatment of the COVID-19 infected and flood-affected people.33 Female healthcare workers are in the frontline at the Mahakali Hospital of Kanchanpur for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Along with helping in the treatment of such patients, they have also been helping in the arrangement of meals for them. 34 29 Kantipur 30 Nagarik 31 The Kathmandu Post 32 Annapurna Post 33 Baarhakhari 34 Baarhakhari WHE Communications Intelligence 10
The Remsivir medicine, made in Nepal, has proved to be helpful in the treatment of COVID-19 patients here. Nepal had faced
problems in the past in the shortage of the medicines needed for the treatment of such patients. 35
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the chain system of the production and distribution of food. Expired
goods worth billions of rupees have remained stored at godowns and stores of the sellers after they were unable to sell them
due to the prohibitory orders issued by the government to control the COVID-19 pandemic.36
International News
As the World Health Organization draws up plans for the next phase of its probe of how the coronavirus pandemic started,
an increasing number of scientists says the UN agency isn’t up to the task and shouldn’t be the one to investigate.
Numerous experts say that political tensions between the US and China make it impossible for an investigation by the agency
to find credible answers.37
India’s official death toll from the coronavirus topped 400,000 on July 2, though experts say the actual number of dead could
have reached 1 million or even higher with a possible third wave of infections looming. India added 100,000 deaths in 39 days
as a brutal second wave of infections swept across cities and into the vast countryside where millions remain vulnerable
without a single shot of vaccine.38
Thousands who contracted coronavirus in India also suffered from a rare fungal disease called mucormycosis or ‘black
fungus’. India has so far reported more than 40,845 cases of mucormycosis. Many may never be able to regain their sight after
the fungal disease which causes blackening or discoloration over the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, breathing
difficulties and coughing blood.39
35
Ratopati
36
Kantipur
37
The Associated Press (in The Kathmandu Post)
38
Reuters (in The Himalayan Times)
39
Reuters (in The Himalayan Times)
WHE Communications Intelligence 11In the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, engineers are building a 5,000-person quarantine facility, central to Beijing’s strategy for reopening itself to the outside world while COVID-19 continues. As the pandemic enters the second half of its second year, almost all countries face same dilemma: If, how and when to reopen to the outside world. It is a challenge made harder by the increased speed at which the Delta variant has spread — not just faster and to more people, but also often infecting those already vaccinated, even if they then become less ill.40 Thailand embarked on an ambitious but risky plan on July 1 that it hopes will breathe new life into a tourism industry devastated by the pandemic, opening the popular resort island of Phuket to fully vaccinated foreigners from lower-risk countries.41 Nine countries in Europe have told India they will accept travelers inoculated with Covishield, the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, Indian foreign ministry sources said on July 1.42 Countries across Europe are scrambling to accelerate coronavirus vaccinations and outpace the spread of the more infectious delta variant, in a high-stake race to prevent hospital wards from filling up again with patients fighting for their lives. The urgency coincides with Europe’s summer holiday months with fair weather bringing more social gatherings and governments reluctant to clamp down on them.43 Malaysia will relax coronavirus lockdowns next week in five states that have met the government’s indicators for lifting the curbs, the security minister said on July 3.44 A total of 29 per cent tourist destinations across the world are still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, only three nations have removed the travel restrictions fully as of July 4 — they include Albania, Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic. Nepal has been listed amongst the partially open nations — there are 73 such nations as per the report.45 40 Reuters (in The Himalayan Times) 41 The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times) 42 Reuters (in The Himalayan Times) 43 The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times) 44 Reuters (in The Himalayan Times) 45 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 12
Contacts 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, the Government of Canada, UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), Government of Germany and USAID. Reference Code: 21JUL05MM_45B WHE Communications Intelligence 13
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