Rajbiraj, May 30

Considering the increasing number of coronavirus patients in the province, Province 2 government has decided to set-up a laboratory for conducting tests for COVID-19 in Saptari headquarters Rajbiraj.

Rajbiraj-based Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital is all set to begin the coronavirus tests. After providing a PCR machine to the hospital, the provincial government also provided Rs five million rupees for the manpower required to conduct lab-tests.

Handing over a cheque bearing Rs five million rupees to the hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr Chumanlal Das today, Province 2 Social Development Minister Nawal Kishor Sah asked health workers present at the hospital to work with high morale. “The provincial government is committed to helping the hospital with necessary equipment and fund to control the pandemic and address the concerns of health workers. We want health workers to work without any worries,” he said.

Upon receiving the monetary assistance, Dr Das thanked the provincial government and vowed to start testing from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Minister Sah today handed over a Rs 2.5 million cheque to Nepali Army’s Bhim Dal Battalion for construction and management of an isolation ward. Due to lack of an isolation facility, 22 COVID-19 infected persons have been kept in separate rooms of quarantine facilities set up at different schools in Rajbiraj, Bodebarsain and Dakneshwori.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 31, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.