‘Rights situation deplorable during pandemic’

KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 8

The National Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about poor human rights situation in Bagmati Province during the COVID-19 crisis.

A report released by the NHRC Bagmati Province Office last week said the government had failed to initiate preparedness measures against the pandemic. “The government did not make enough effort to control or avoid the outbreak of the disease and lagged behind in cashing in on the delayed onset of the contagion in the country, thereby worsening the rights situation,” read the report. Nepal reported the first case of the virus in March when many countries in the world had already been passing through the crisis.

Limited number of quarantine and isolation facilities, lack of health workers and life-saving medical equipment like ventilators, poor arrangement of labs and hospitals, low coverage of PCR test, and delay in operation of coronavirus dedicated hospitals contributed to spike in COVID-19 cases, it read. According to the report, the government also failed to properly utilise the nationwide lockdown period to prevent and control COVID-19.

The NHRC said increasing cases of COVID-19 despite the lockdown was worrisome as the government did not take initiatives to expand the PCR test coverage in a timely manner. Initially, the government preferred RDT to PCR method. RDT is not as reliable as PCR. Only PCR testing technology can confirm whether a person is infected with the virus.

As per the report, hospitals and health workers did not have access to personal protective equipment. Cases of gender-based violence increased during the lockdown period and all three tiers of government did not adopt effective measures to prevent and control such incidents. Differently-abled persons, senior citizens, pregnant and lactating women and infants, children and other vulnerable groups were most affected by the pandemic and their rights situated deteriorated.

The government was not up to the mark to strictly implement ‘Standard on Operation and Management of Quarantine for COVID-19’ for providing basic amenities to quarantined persons. Many institutional quarantine centres lacked basic amenities and skilled human resources and necessary medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders and ventilators.

The report has also expressed serious concern about deteriorating humanitarian situation of thousands of daily wagers in Kathmandu valley, patients requiring medical check-up and follow-up and people taking a long walk home amid the nationwide lockdown imposed by the government.

The NHRC had formed a monitoring committee in each province to monitor various issues, including government’s performance in the fight against COVID-19, arrangement of medical treatment, consumer rights, freedom of expression, access to justice and civic duties during the ongoing crisis. “The government failed to stop production and supply of substandard goods, food adulteration, overcharging and black-marketing,” read the report.