Jajarkot, April 4

While the government is preparing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the country, Jajarkot does not have any mechanism to collect samples for COVID-19 lab-test.

Samples of COVID-19 suspects and of people who come in contact with coronavirus patients need to be collected and sent to the provincial hospital or Teku Hospital in Kathmandu for lab-test.

Medical Officer at Jajarkot District Hospital Dr Amin Shah said that the hospital did not have transport mechanism for collecting and sending samples to laboratory for test.

Dr Shah said his hospital was not in a position to collect and send samples as it did not have the equipment to store and send samples to the lab. “If suspected COVID-19 patients visit the hospital, we have no choice but to inform the Provincial Health Directorate,” said Dr Shah.

Dr Shah warned that there was high chance of the coronavirus spreading as many people had returned home from India of late in the district.

The district lacks adequate preparation to battle the pandemic due to shortage of manpower and infrastructure and lack of awareness on people.

The 50-bed district hospital has quota for seven doctors and 65 health workers.

However, the hospital has only 18 health workers at the moment. People have been asked not to visit the hospital unless they have an emergency case.

Condition of health posts and health centres in the district is also deplorable due to lack of adequate equipment and human resources.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on April 05, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.