Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal - ReliefWeb
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal
Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1
-Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence
Date: June 29, 2021
Kathmandu, Nepal
EMERGING THEME(S)
• More black fungus cases reported in COVID-19 patients but Nepal lacks the drugs to treat this rare fungal infection
• Nepal reported 1,509 new COVID-19 infections, 42 deaths on June 28; COVID-19 infection rate has come down to 15
per cent in Kathmandu Metropolitan City; Banke healthcare facilities amping up for third wave
• Health Ministry asks people to report cases if anyone asks for money to administer COVID-19 vaccines as government
is providing this free of charge; requests I/NGOs, private offices not to make COVID-19 negative report mandatory;
informs post-COVID-19 symptoms can be seen for up to 12 weeks after recovering; second dose of vaccine to be given
from July 6 for those who took the first shot in drive that began on June 8
• Nearly half of 5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine China is to provide to arrive in Nepal by July 15
• Nepal starts production of remdesivir
RECURRING THEME(S)
• Doctor and staff at Tamakoshi’s Malu COVID Hospital manhandled
• Not enough trained manpower to operate the ventilators given by donor agencies, different countries
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 2ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS The Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on June 26 admitted two new patients with mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection commonly known as ‘black fungus’ and mostly found among diabetic COVID-19 patients. With the new cases, the number of patients with mucormycosis at the hospital has reached 14. According to the hospital, the condition of both patients is critical. However, the hospital does not have Liposomal Amphotericin B, the primary drug used for treating the black fungus infection. India, the main source of the drug, has banned its export. “In the absence of this drug, we are treating the patients with an alternative drug — Deoxycholate,” said Dr Rabindra Padhananga, Coordinator of the Mucormycosis Management Committee at TUTH. Amid the shortage of Liposomal Amphotericin B, Deoxygholate and Posaconazole are two other drugs available in the Nepali market to treat patients of mucormycosis. However, Dr Pradhananga said that the patients’ families need to procure the drugs from the market and these drugs are available only because they were in stock before India imposed a blanket ban on the export of Amphotericin B drugs, under which all the three drugs come. The government does not have any of these drugs in its store to distribute to hospitals at the moment.2 Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 635,188 on June 28 with 1,509 more people testing positive for the infection in the past 24 hours. With the latest additions, the countrywide COVID-19 mortality toll stands at 9,051 with 42 fatalities recorded on June 28. The country’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 92.6 per cent, and the fatality rate at 1.5 per cent. 3 The rate of COVID-19 infection has come down to 15 per cent in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. However, the number of people going for testing has also decreased — in the past 1,000 people used to opt for tests every day, but it has decreased to around 200 tests per day.4 There is a high risk of a third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal though the second wave is not over yet. The risk is associated with the Delta virus and its mutation.5 Preparations are underway to tackle a possible third wave of the coronavirus in Banke. Health facilities in the district have 2 The Kathmandu Post 3 THT Online 4 Ratopati 5 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 3
started preparations for the third wave of the virus. They expect children to be the worst affected group if the third wave hits the country.6 The Ministry of Health and Population has urged people to report immediately if anyone asks for money to give a COVID-19 vaccine. Stating that the government has been providing free vaccines, it has asked all to report such cases to the local administration or at the Ministry.7 The Ministry of Health and Population has requested that a negative report of COVID-19 not be made mandatory after one has recovered from the infection. The request has come after different I/NGOs and private offices have been asking for a negative report from COVID-19 recovered people. It has said there is no scientific basis to do the test after 10 days of infection if no symptoms of COVID-19 are seen.8 Post-COVID-19 symptoms can be seen up to 12 weeks even after recovering from the infection. So, if anyone experiences the symptoms, s/he has to consult the doctors immediately, the Ministry of Health and Population has said.9 The government will provide the second dose of COVID-19 from July 6 to those who took the first jab in the vaccination drive that had begun on June 8.10 Nearly half of the 5,000,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine that China is said to provide Nepal will arrive by the end of Asadh (July 15). China had announced to provide 1,800,000 doses under grant assistance, and 5,000,000 doses through procurement.11 The production of remdesivir medicine, used for the treatment of COVID-19, has begun in Nepal. National Healthcare Birgunj, 6 The Himalayan Times 7 Setopati 8 Baarhakhari 9 Baarhakhari 10 Baarhakhari 11 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 4
which has got the permission to manufacture it, has begun the production.12
A doctor and a staffer of Malu COVID Hospital in Tamakoshi Rural Municipality in Dolakha district were manhandled on June
26 night giving them undue pressure to carry out treatment of other patients in addition to COVID-19 patients.13
The hospital administration said medical officer Dr Robis Karki and office assistant Top Bahadur Mijar were attacked. “The
group had come seeking treatment for one of them with an injured leg,” said Dr Karki. “I told them I will step outside and have a
look since there are coronavirus patients receiving treatment inside the hospital building. They got angry for not being allowed
to enter the hospital.” He said the group manhandled the healthcare workers saying they can’t be stopped from entering the
hospital they built.14
There have been problems regarding the operation of ventilators given by donor agencies and different countries since the
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. The government has sent them to all the district hospitals of the country, but
these ventilators have not come into use due to the lack of trained manpower. Also, the ventilators break down frequently due
to the lack of trained human resources.15
OTHER(S)
National News
12
Baarhakhari
13
Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times)
14
The Kathmandu Post
15
Nayapatrika
WHE Communications Intelligence 5Dr Anup Banstola has been appointed as the Director of Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital — the current director Dr Sagar Rajbhandari will retire on June 29.16 Locals of Muktikot village in Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality, Bajura have been reeling under acute shortage of food of late after crop production in the district decreased during the coronavirus pandemic. Locals said that as many as 400 Dalit families in the village were facing severe food crisis. They said daily wage earners had been hit hard due to the lockdown. There is no job in the village and crops produced in the fields do not even last a year. 17 Domestic flights will resume across the country from July 1. The Nepal Civil Aviation Authority has prepared a schedule of 65 flights per day.18 The passengers arriving in Nepal via air will be allowed to go to their homes and other destinations directly if they have taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The provision has been included in the recent order in regards to the management of passengers arriving from foreign nations issued by the Nepal government.19 Nepalis who are planning to go to the Gulf countries will have to pay additional charges for hotel quarantine if they have not taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccine.20 The government of Nepal and the World Bank on June 27 signed a US$150 million concessional loan agreement to support Nepal’s resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, protect the most vulnerable, and support sustainable growth.21 The Pokhara Tourism Council has requested house owners to provide subsidy on house rent for tourism entrepreneurs as the tourism business has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.22 16 Onlinekhabar 17 The Himalayan Times 18 Onlinekhabar 19 Onlinekhabar 20 Setopati 21 The Himalayan Times 22 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 6
Nepal Police has arrested 19 members of Hamro Team Nepal that had been feeding the poor during the prohibitory orders. They were arrested after causing obstruction to the police’s attempt to vacate the temporary structure used by the Hamro Team Nepal in Anamnagar.23 The number of people using Ayurvedic medicine has increased in Jhapa since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The attraction of people has increased towards it for the control and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.24 LIFTING OF PROHIBITORY ORDERS and PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES The prohibitory orders have been extended for a week till July 5 in Kathmandu Valley. 25 The public vehicles with a capacity of more than 25 seats will be allowed to operate on the basis of the odd-even number system in the Kathmandu Valley from June 29.26 The day-wise restrictions for different kinds of shops have been lifted in Kathmandu Valley from June 29 — while food stores will be allowed to operate throughout the day, other shops can remain open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.27 The transport entrepreneurs and representatives of labor organizations have said the government’s decision to resume public vehicles from June 29 is one-sided, and they will start operating all public vehicles from July 2.28 It is likely that the authorities inside Kathmandu Valley will extend the ongoing prohibitory orders for one more week with additional relaxations as cases of COVID-19 have been decreasing in the country. A meeting of Chief District Officers of 23 Onlinekhabar 24 Setopati 25 Ratopati 26 Onlinekhabar 27 Setopati 28 Ratopati WHE Communications Intelligence 7
Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur failed to come up with a final decision regarding the prohibitory orders, which will end on June 28 midnight. As per the authorities, the final decision will be made public on June 28 after 10:00 pm. 29 The prohibitory orders have been extended by a week starting June 28 but the ban on public vehicles is to be lifted. The Chief District Officers of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur are for allowing public vehicles to resume services but they are yet to decide the modality.30 The prohibitory orders have been extended till July 9 in Kaski with relaxations —public vehicles will now operate on the basis of the odd-even number system from June 30.31 The prohibitory orders have been extended for a week in Rupandehi till July 5, while public vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of the odd-even number system.32 The prohibitory orders have been extended for a week in Dhanusha, while public vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of the odd-even number system.33 All kinds of public vehicles will resume their services from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm from June 29 in Kanchanpur.34 HELP and AID Nepali laborers working in different parts of the world have provided oxygen concentrators, cylinders and other healthcare materials worth Rs 10,000,000 to the Nepal government.35 The Pahal Pariyojana at Tikapur Hospital has been helping the hospital with regards to healthcare equipment, capacity 29 The Himalayan Times 30 The Kathmandu Post 31 Onlinekhabar 32 Onlinekhabar 33 Onlinekhabar 34 Setopati 35 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 8
enhancement of human resources, and the control and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.36
Milk producers in Chitwan district incurred a huge loss due to the prohibitory orders. Secretary of the Chitwan Dairy Producers’
Cooperatives Kishor Bagale said dairy producers are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis. On one hand, regular supply
has halted, while on the other, some suppliers and middle-persons began bargaining over the price taking undue advantage
of the situation.37
International News
Abu Dhabi has removed an option for visitors to apply for COVID-19 vaccines from a dedicated mobile app, although a hotline
by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) last week said tourists were eligible. SEHA had said that visitors with visas
issued by Abu Dhabi and passport holders eligible for tourist visas upon entry can book free vaccines, and its app had shown
a ‘visitor’ function.38
Rows of locked shops confront bargain-hunters for most of the day in Fancy Bazar, a nearly 200-year-old market that offered
cheap prices until the COVID-19 pandemic hit Guwahati, India. Lockdown restrictions have been partially eased but shop
owners are struggling to recapture the market’s bustling activity and complain that the 1:00 pm curfew is too early. Shoppers
seem to prefer the evening hours to escape the summer heat.39
The first cruise ship — Celebrity Edge — to leave US port Fort Lauderdale since the coronavirus pandemic brought the
industry to a 15-month standstill sailed away on June 26 with nearly all vaccinated passengers on board. 40
36
Nagarik
37
The Himalayan Times
38
Reuters (in The Himalayan Times)
39
The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)
40
The Associated Press (in The Kathmandu Post)
WHE Communications Intelligence 9Contacts 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: 21JUN29MM_41B WHE Communications Intelligence 10
You can also read
