COVID-19 and Nepal

Nepal had a big plan in 2020. The stage was set, the performers were ready, arrangements were being made and the audiences had started getting invitation to attend the programme. Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and civil aviation, Yogesh Bhattarai was already preparing for the opening speech, in-fact he already had delivered some pre programme preparation. Disaster stroke. A virus, that started to spread in Wuhan in China, according the sources,  crippled the viability of the programme and later it got cancelled. All the efforts that was made for "VISIT NEPAL 2020" had officially been unproductive due to an unforeseen and unprecedented situation of COVID-19.

The first reported case of COVID-19 in Nepal was on 15th of February, in a student who returned from china. As per the sources, now on 21st of may, there are 453 cases of COVID-19 in Nepal out of which 49 have recovered. The government of Nepal imposed lockdown on the 24th of March restricting any kind of unnecessary movements within country and stopped international travel. At that time there were only 2 cases of coronavirus in Nepal. Though the lockdown had been imposed, thousands of people who had employment in India returned home, they brought corona virus with them. Even Indian nationals who had travelled to Nepal before lockdown had been infected by COVID-19 and are also  considered as possible sources for community transmission. The rate of infection is increasing and the number of death because of the virus also have started rising. Currently there are 3 people reported deaths because of the virus but if the health system is not upgraded, the death and infected number of people is likely to rise. Nepal still is in a lockdown situation.

The communist government is criticised for its ineffectiveness in making lockdown realistic. Though receiving thousands of virus testing kits, the government have not been able to effectively increase testing ratio in high alert areas. Low testing ratio and longer lockdown is severely affecting mental state of every individual and the economy but the government seem unconcerned to the fact.  Longer lockdown is emptying everyones pock and especially lower class people who need to work everyday to eat are severely affected. The government have not shown effective measures to tackle the situation while leaders of communist party are flaunting on effectiveness of the relief they are giving to the public. The goal has been made clear that the government will not let anyone die of hunger and will not let anyone suffer but where they have failed as a state is that no realistic objective and tactics are put in place. Small and medium scale business are considered as a backbone of an economy but the government have not presented any plans to support them. The government has failed at many places but a silver lining is that it is still not too late. The virus crisis is bringing in thousands of migrant workforce home and it is an opportunity to make a use of that workforce. The lockdown is being extended and may even get extended further but its the responsibility of the state to ensure that when the virus will pass, plans are put in place for a safe landing.