Kathmandu: The Nepali Congress (NC) has urged the government to be sensitive to controlling the spread of Covid-19. Leaders including NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba handed over a 15-point memorandum to Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Thursday stating that dillydallying in bringing vaccines due to commission for procurement was sad.
“Experts have warned that the country will face the third wave of the pandemic. It is necessary to make arrangements for vaccination immediately to ward off Covid-19. But even in such a sensitive matter, it is very sad that the procurement process has been delayed,” reads the memorandum.
The party has stressed that diplomatic initiatives should be intensified for procuring vaccines
It also demanded a fair investigation from the concerned bodies regarding irregularities seen during the supply of health supplies in the first phase of coronavirus, corruption, and commission system seen in the supply of vaccine.
The memo directed to bring oxygen concentrator to end ongoing scarcity of oxygen gas and to make arrangement of transparent distribution of plant and cylinders ensuring its immediate supply.
The NC also demanded to make arrangements of beds, oxygen facility, hospital with ICU and ventilators, and necessary health workers in all districts.
It also urged the Prime Minister to launch a special awareness campaign to protect children from the third wave of the virus as experts have made projections that children might be seriously affected by the third wave of the virus.
The scope of PCR tests for the infection based on a contract tracing should be increased and a mobile team of people managed to collect swabs, the party stated.
The NC demanded that the government should make regulations and provide subsidies in the transportation of Covid-19 patients while addressing concerns about high treatment fees charged by health situations and transportation fees by air service providers.
The government should provide economic reliefs to the affected community, stem supply of Covid-19 medicines and medical equipment on the black market, and manage hotline numbers to provide counseling and awareness messages against the infection, reads the memorandum.
The NC has demanded that the government immediately appoints a health secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population and effectively manages a mechanism at the Covid-19 crisis management center.
The government should manage required resources at a local level to control the virus. It also should regulate PCR tests for Covid-19 for cross border mobility of people at transits and other managements against the infection and stop a cartel in PCR tests for the infection for foreign job aspirants, the party stressed.
The NC also drew the attention of the Prime Minister to ensure timely availability of allowances and health insurance as announced by the government to health workers and encourage health workers and cleaners who are at the forefront against the virus.
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