Kathmandu, March 27

The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens has decided to provide Rs 10,000 per month for the next three months to senior citizens staying at rehabilitation centres and elderly care homes across the country.

The relief package comes in the wake of nationwide week-long lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Altogether 1,500 vulnerable senior citizens are entitled to the package in the first phase, according to the ministry.

Parbat Gurung, minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, today, said, “Elderly citizens generally tend to have a weak immune system.

The government is preparing to provide them the relief for the next three months so they are able to feed themselves.”

The process to provide relief package would be forwarded after a high-level committee formed to prevent and control COVID-19 approves it. The ministry has also arranged distribution of masks, sanitisers and soaps to those elderly citizens staying in various elderly care homes and rehabilitation centres.

Apart from senior citizens, the ministry has urged the authority concerned to put in place special arrangement for new mothers and people with disabilities. “Keep persons with sensitive health issues in separate rooms and pay special attention to sanitation around them,” said Gurung.