KATHMANDU, March 6: Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal has said as the coronavirus infection rate is growing with its spread from China to Europe, the US, South Korea, Iraq, Australia, and others, additional precaution and preparedness is imperative.
Open border and frequent travel between Nepal and India also remind Nepal's further preparedness.
Minister Dhakal was saying it at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday after a lawmaker registered a proposal of public importance in the parliament, demanding high alertness to fend off coronavirus which is taking the toll in various countries across the globe.
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He informed that given the growing threat, the help desk was being set up at 37 places in addition to the border points. "Communication with India for import of medicine and raw material was going on in the diplomatic level," he said, adding that the Indian side also committed to continuing the medicine supply to Nepal.
The Minister further said the media reports were mere rumor and monitoring was intensified to curb black marketing of goods. The government has already decided to discourage Nepal's participation in international conferences.
Similarly, the Sagarmatha Sambad, scheduled for the first time in the country, has been put off. A high-level coordination committee has been working effectively. Even the direction committee is formed at the Health Ministry for preparation and preparedness. Raising public awareness on the coronavirus is another ongoing activity of the government. "The government is committed to activities for obviating the entry of coronavirus.
The discussion today has given a morale boost to the government. Government moves ahead without being prejudiced," Minister Dhakal reminded. According to him, a total of 155 isolation beds were readied in various seven hospitals.
He urged everyone not is swayed after wrong information, but stay updated to real information and maintain restraint. Dhakal appreciated the suggestions given by the lawmakers.
Earlier, lawmakers urged the government to adopt adequate measures as preparedness to the coronavirus menace, a global threat. The government was reminded that Nepal was listed as the country at high risk of coronavirus by the World Health Organization.
The lawmaker from major opposition Nepali Congress, Gagan Kumar Thapa, registered the proposal of public importance to which 40 lawmakers spoke.
The latest update has recorded that more than 3,300 people have died of the deadly coronavirus across the globe.
