Both parties have termed the government's statement the height of irresponsibility
KATHMANDU, MAY 1
The Nepali Congress and Bibeksheel Sajha Party have condemned the government's statement that there were not enough beds for COVID-19 victims due to the sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 infected people.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Health and Population had said that the health system was unlikely to sustain the frightening rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.
NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma issued a press release saying that the government's remarks not only reflected its helplessness but also its irresponsible behaviour.
How can the government which spent the entire year in intra-party conflict, dissolved the House of Representatives, boasted of providing vaccines to all Nepalis in three months, now say there are not enough oxygen cylinders and beds for COVID-19 patients? Sharma wondered. The NC said the government's statement was the height of irresponsible behaviour.
The main opposition party said the government needed to clearly explain what its capacity to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic was, what its expectations from private hospitals were, and how it was managing vaccines for the public. The NC said the government should act as guardian of citizens in times of crisis, and it could not escape its responsibility by saying that there was shortage of resources.
BSP also issued a press release saying that at a time when daily COV- ID-19 infections were rising, the government's statement that it was not in a position to provide beds to COV- ID-19 affected people was a matter of serious concern as it was irresponsible.
The party said the government had adequate time to increase its preparedness against the pandemic.
It has demanded that the government make provisions for treatment of COVID-19 sufferers at private hospitals and fully utilise available human resources at private health institutions. BSP has urged the government to set up temporary COVID-19 treatment centres in all the affected areas with the help of the Nepali Army and Nepal Police. It also urged the government to appeal to all retired doctors to treat COVID-19 sufferers.
BSP also urged the government to appeal to friendly countries, particularly China to provide disaster management experts, oxygen cylinders, ventilators and PPEs. The party also demanded that the government immediately resume the vaccination drive by addressing safety concerns and providing relief to the poor and workers who might lose their jobs due to the current lockdown.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 2, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
