By Our Reporter
Cases of COVID-19 have surged alarmingly across Nepal in recent weeks, leading to a shortage of beds in hospitals, medicines and health manpower to treat the rising number of patients. The government that resorted to the dirtiest power game and did nothing to increase the hospital capacity has already announced the unavailability of beds in hospitals.
Daily cases have jumped to 7587 on May 4 from 559 on April 13, the last day of 2077BS. Although Nepal started witnessing the new surge from the end of March, the government did nothing to take precautionary measures. Instead, Prime Minister KP Oli kept on inaugurating one thing after another and holding party meetings. He deliberately delayed imposing lockdown as he had planned to inaugurate Dharahara on April 24. And the cases started surging after he inaugurated the Dharahara amidst a crowd. Nepal recorded 14 deaths and 2619 new cases on April 24.
After April 24, the cases surged rapidly and reached nearly 8,000 on May 4 with 55 deaths on a single day. Likewise, 37 deaths were reported on Monday and 27 on Sunday.
Moreover, the cases have reached all 77 districts as people, including those infected reached villages after the implementation of restriction in Kathmandu. Considering this, the situation is likely to worsen for a few more days. However, the government seems ill-prepared for the situation.
Prime Minister Oli should be held responsible for the pandemic havoc
Cases of COVID-19 and deaths have multiplied in a week even seven days after the government imposed prohibitory order in the Kathmandu Valley and other cities.
The daily cases jumped to nearly 8,000 while deaths to 55 in a week from April 24, with Kathmandu, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi being hit worst.
The hospital beds have already run out and many patients are receiving treatment in the passage or even outside the hospital while there has already been a shortage of health manpower and oxygen in cities like Nepalgunj. Moreover, there has been a shortage of crematories to manage the bodies. Nepal Army has started cremating the bodies in the riverbed of the Bagmati in lack of places. The situation in Kathmandu will not be different from the Indian cities where bodies were cremated in mass on roads.
Had the government taken preventive measures before mid-April, the situation could have been averted. But Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s childish desire to inaugurate the incomplete Dharahara on April 24 and hold marathon meetings of his faction in the party to tighten the grip in government and party led to the present havoc. Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha further added fuel to spread the virus by not agreeing to shut down schools. As a result, COVID-19 reached many houses from schools.
The cost of the shortsightedness of the Prime Minister and stupidity of the Education Minister is now clear: More people are dying in lack of treatment and hospital beds.
When the rulers give more importance to power, and time to consolidate it, the ultimate victims are the people. It has now been proved in Nepal after Trump in the USA and Modi in India.
But Prime Minister Oli and his government are not ready to admit these weaknesses.
The Prime Minister who made a tall talk to vaccinate all people in three months is now unable to procure any vaccine. He even has failed to bring 1 million vaccines purchased from India. Only at the 11th hour, the government has decided to procure 20,000 oxygen cylinders from China.
While wasting power to resorting to unconstitutional activities, the PM did not pay any attention to upgrade hospitals although he boasted about laying foundation stones of 396 hospitals in a single go.
Only on Monday, the PM got time to address the people regarding COVID-19, but his speech too was misleading.
The Prime Minister who only gave protection to his nears and dears and consolidated power by totally ignoring the risk of coronavirus must take responsibility for the damages caused to life by the second wave of COVID-19.
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