KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal has appealed to all Nepalis celebrating Dashain festival to maintain safety to remain safe from coronavirus.

Giving a message of best wishes on the occasion of the Bada Dashain today, Minister Dhakal reminded the adverse situation created by the COVID-19.

"The pandemic has limited us to observe Dashain staying indoors," he said, requesting everyone to use mask, maintain physical distance and wash hands with soap from time to time or use sanitizer.

He also said Dashain is the festival the Nepalis have been celebrating for long with unity and reunion and exchanges of greetings.

"We need to pay attention to our health, friendship and social amity," Minister Dhakal stressed. The Minister also shared the information that government had launched efforts to ensure healthy citizen for the realization of 'prosperous Nepal: happy Nepali'.

He also thanked all who maintained health standard set by the government. The Health Ministry, he said, is always committed to protecting the lives of citizens.

"The Ministry is aware that right to health is mentioned as citizen's fundamental rights in the constitution, which the government fully adheres to," he reiterated, adding that the Ministry had made every arrangement as of test for coronavirus, treatment, medication and availability of medical resources including doctors and equipment.