Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal

WHE Communications Intelligence 2

Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1

-Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence

Date: June 1, 2021 Kathmandu, Nepal

EMERGING THEME(S)

• Nepal reports 4,178 new cases of COVID-19, 114 deaths on May 31

• Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has said 9 black fungus cases seen in Nepal; hospitals not prepared to prevent, treat the impending threat of black fungus

• With Antigen tests being done in just hundreds government’s aim to conduct 25,000 tests a day remains a far cry • Palpa residents fear stigmatization after COVID-19 confirmation, hence hesitant to undergo testing; same is the case of

residents of Sisne in Rukum; shortage of test kits in Arghakhanchi

RECURRING THEME(S)

• No possibility of getting Covishield vaccine immediately, 1,350,000 elderly citizens will not get their booster dose on time: Chief of Family Welfare Division Dr Taranath Pokharel

• Ministry of Education proposes conducting Secondary Education Examinations via internal evaluation, will submit it before the Cabinet

1 This intelligence is tracked through manually monitoring national print, digital and online media through a representative sample selection, and consultations with media persons and media influencers.

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ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS

Nepal reported 4,178 new cases of COVID-19 on May 31 and as many as 114 fatalities.2

Eleven people from the Raute community, who have been living on the banks of Bheri River in Gurbhakot Municipality-11 of Surkhet, have been tested for COVID-19. A team of healthcare workers had reached their community for the Antigen Test, but none of them tested positive.3

It has been a month since the imposition of prohibitory orders in the country, and there has been a reduction in COVID-19 infection and death rates. However, health experts say the risk is still there as the infection rate is above 34 per cent.4

A total of 1,355 people of Barpak have been tested for COVID-19 in the past three days.5

The cases of COVID-19 have been declining in Dadheldhura for the past one week. According to Dadheldhura District Health Office Chief Ashutosh Shrestha, test positivity rate dropped to 15-20 per cent in the past one week as compared to 40 per cent earlier.6

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has said that mucormycosis (black fungus) has started to be seen in Nepal. As of now nine people have been infected — four in Birgunj, four in Nepalgunj, and one in Kathmandu, as per EDCD. However, the doctors have said they are not able to estimate the exact number of people infected with mucormycosis due to the limited resources in Nepal.7

In the last two weeks, four COVID-19 patients were found with the black fungus infection at Nepalgunj-based Bheri Hospital, while a recovered 60-year-old COVID-19 patient from the Lumbini Provincial Hospital is now suspected to have died of black fungus. In Bardiya district there is no preparation to prevent and treat black fungus. Health institutions in Sudurpaschim

2 THT Online 3 Annapurna Post 4 Nayapatrika 5 Kantipur 6 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 7 Nayapatrika

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Province are far from prepared to handle the impending threat of black fungus. Seti Provincial Hospital in Dhangadhi, the major hospital in the province, is yet to prepare treatment services for black fungus patients.8

Officials at the Health Ministry aimed to perform over 25,000 Antigen tests every day along with the current number of PCR

tests. However, Antigen tests are being performed only in hundreds. Earlier we could not increase testing due to limited

capacity for PCR tests and lack of Antigen test kits, according to Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, Spokesperson for the Ministry of

Health and Population. However, now we have sufficient Antigen test kits and have already dispatched them to the districts,

but the test numbers have not increased, he added. Officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division said that the

problem is not only the lack of budget and testing kits but also local officials’ mindset of not taking the risk seriously.9

Out of about 6,000,000 population of Province 2, PCR test has been conducted in only 2.98 per cent of the population. The

daily COVID-19 test has reduced in recent days, and with this the number of infected has also reduced. However, people are

staying at home rather than opting for tests despite showing the symptoms of COVID-19, as per Bijay Jha, Director of

Provincial Health Directorate. It won’t be possible to say the exact situation of Province 2 without conducting tests, he added.10

Many people in Palpa are dying of COVID-19 as they do not comply to go for testing. They fear their families and neighbors will

not take it in a positive vein if they are infected, and also fear they will not get good treatment at hospitals. Such people usually

stay at home saying it’s just a common cold and fever. By the time they are taken to hospitals, they are critical with no hopes of

being saved. Similar is the case in the Sisne Rural Municipality of Rukum East —healthcare workers reached the villages to

collect swab samples, but the villagers were hesitant. In the case of Arghakhanchi, COVID-19 tests are not being done

because of the lack of test kits. However, the number of infected is increasing, and almost every household has members

showing COVID-19-like symptoms.11

People suspected of having COVID-19 have escaped from hospitals while waiting for swab collection for PCR test, those in

home isolation have disappeared, while some of the infected have committed suicide in Nepal. People take such decisions

8 The Kathmandu Post 9 The Kathmandu Post 10 Onlinekhabar 11 Kantipur

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being unable to face the economic, social and family crises if someone in the family gets infected, as per DSP Subash Hamal

of Kaski Police. According to Dr Kabita Pathak, of the Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital of Pokhara, people who have

reached the hospital for COVID-19 treatment are naturally scared for four/five days mostly because they cannot get out of the

bed, see the condition of other patients, and due to the fake information rampant about the infection.12

Dr Taranath Pokharel, Chief of Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health and Population, on May 30 said that there is

no immediate possibility of the availability of Covishield vaccine. This will affect 1,350,000 elderly citizens — those above the

age of 55 in 14 districts and those above 65 years of age in the remaining districts — are at the risk of not getting the booster

dose on time.13

The Ministry of Education has proposed to conduct the Secondary Education Examinations via internal evaluation, and it will

present the proposal before the Cabinet.14

The National Education Board has proposed three alternatives to conduct the Secondary Education Examinations before the

Ministry of Education. These include taking exams in the traditional manner if the situation returns to normal, a partial

alternative exam along with a written test in the home center if COVID-19 infections decrease, and a total alternative method if

the situation is not favorable.15

12 Setopati 13 Kantipur 14 Onlinekhabar 15 Kantipur

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OTHER(S)

National News

The 1 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine that China is giving to Nepal under grant assistance will be used to inoculate those between 55 to 65 years of age. The plane of Nepal Airlines will return with the vaccine from Beijing on June 1.16

The Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City has written to the Ministry of Health and Population seeking approval to buy 200,000 doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccine on its own for its residents.17

The Social Development Ministry and Health Office of Province 1 have issued contradictory statements regarding the secret vaccination drive in the Province. The press advisor of Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai issued a statement on May 30 saying there has been no illegal distribution of the vaccine, while the secretary of Social Development Minister Ushakala Rai has said all responsibility to provide the second dose of vaccine was given to the Health Office Morang. However, Ramananda Yadav, Chief of the Vaccine Division at the Health Office has said that the vaccine was distributed based on the solo decision of the Social Development Minister.18

Investigation has begun regarding the installation of an oxygen plant in the District Hospital of Rukum West. The Health Services Office had started the procurement of tank and pipeline to complete the installation, but the provincial committee of Karnali Province has ordered a stop to the process.19

The National Human Rights Commission has said its attention has been drawn towards the fact that citizens’ right to health

treatment has been at risk amidst the current crisis. It has said that during its inspection, it discovered that people lost their

16 Onlinekhabar 17 Ratopati 18 Baarhakhari 19 Kantipur

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lives due to shortage of ICUs, ventilators and oxygen in many districts including Kaski, Morang, and Jhapa among others.20

The risk of COVID-19 infection is high on people who consume tobacco. In an interaction program organized by the Ministry of

Health and Population and Action Nepal, Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, World Health Organization Representative to Nepal

said, COVID-19 infection will affect those who consume tobacco more as their lungs are already damaged by the tobacco.21

Daily wage laborers of Parsa have been facing difficulties to make ends meet due to the prohibitory orders. None of the local

levels have distributed any kind of relief package to them.22

Regular flights to three countries — China, Turkey, and Qatar — will not resume from June 1 as scheduled. The decision to

resume the flight was made by the Cabinet meeting of May 28, but it has not yet been sent to the Civil Aviation Authority of

Nepal. It will take at least a week for the decision to be implemented, as per the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture,

Tourism and Civil Aviation Taranath Adhikari.23

HOSPITALS and HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

The ICU and ventilators set up at District Hospital Myagdi have not come into full operation due to the shortage of trained

manpower to operate them. One anesthesiologist and a doctor of internal medicine are needed for the hospital to run the ICU

and ventilators regularly.24

The Health Services Office Humla has procured eight oxygen concentrators for use in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.25

A liquid oxygen tank with a capacity of 20,000 liters has been installed at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. With this

20 Baarhakhari 21 Setopati 22 Annapurna Post 23 Onlinekhabar 24 Onlinekhabar 25 Onlinekhabar

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there will be no shortage of oxygen for patients, the hospital has said.26

A temporary COVID-19 hospital with 25 beds has come into operation in Golbazaar, Siraha from May 30, constructed by

Golbazaar Municipality at a cost of Rs 3.5 million.27

According to Gandaki Province Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, the Province is self-sufficient in medical oxygen, and has

expedited the construction of required health infrastructure to deal with COVID-19 cases.28

The BP Museum Sundarijal will set up a treatment center with oxygen support for COVID-19 patients at Mulkharka, and

Okhreni inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.29

Despite having 187 empty beds in its COVID-19 hospital, the Birat Medical College has not been able to admit new COVID-19

patients due to a shortage of oxygen. The hospital needs 650 oxygen cylinders per day, but it has been getting only 450.30

DUTY and RESPONSIBILITIES

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has written to the British Queen Elizabeth II to help Nepal in the procurement of

COVID-19 vaccine.31

Former minister Bhim Rawal commented that the President corresponding to the heads of different nations asking to provide

vaccines to Nepal is against the Constitution.32

Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City has started free COVID-19 tests from May 31. The Antigen tests are being done as part of its

26 Setopati 27 The Himalayan Times 28 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 29 Baarhakhari 30 Ratopati 31 Kantipur 32 Onlinekhabar

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effort to take the tests to the community level.33

HELP and AID

Entrepreneur Suhrid Ghimire has announced a cash prize of Rs 10,000,001 via the Barbara Foundation to honor frontline

healthcare workers.34

China will provide continuous support to Nepal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqi has said.

China has remained a trustworthy partner of Nepal in its fight against the pandemic, she said.35

Young businessmen have been feeding the caretakers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Rajbiraj. The caretakers, who

needed to stay in the hospital for days to take care of their family, had been unable to get food to eat as the hotels around the

hospital areas had been shut down due to the prohibitory orders.36

Prarambha, and Ani Choying Drolma Foundation in coordination with the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Kavre have

provided healthcare materials to three hospitals of Kavre district. They have provided ventilators, oxygen concentrators, PPEs

to the Dhulikhel Hospital, Scheer Memorial Hospital, and Methinkot Hospital.37

Three young businessmen residing in the UK have provided five oxygen concentrators to the Tikapur Hospital of Kailali.38

Ishanath Municipality on May 30 obstructed the distribution of health materials to COVID-19 affected community in Rautahat.

Social campaigner Anju Jha told a press meet that the municipality had protested the distribution of face masks and hand

sanitizers for people of rural areas.39

33 Setopati 34 Ratopati 35 Nagarik 36 Annapurna Post 37 Setopati 38 Baarhakhari 39 The Himalayan Times

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The Norvic Hospital has announced a ‘Post COVID Package’ with a motive of helping people who suffer from various health

complications even after recovering from COVID-19. It has claimed the package offered at a reasonable rate will help reduce

the death rate post COVID-19.40

International News

The decision to lift final lockdown measures in England on June 21 will be made after data on infection, hospitalization, vaccination and new variants are assessed, according to Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi.41

The coronavirus has killed 160,000 in eight weeks in India, overwhelmed hospitals and shut many businesses. Experts warn that another crisis is looming with rising levels of hunger among poor Indians.42

Breathless, fevered and without extra oxygen that could help keep them alive, the new coronavirus patients at a hospital near Myanmar’s border with India highlight the threat to a health system near collapse since February’s coup.43

40 Baarhakhari 41 Reuters (in The Himalayan Times) 42 Agence France Presse (in The Kathmandu Post) 43 Reuters (in The Kathmandu Post)

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Contacts for further details

Dr Sunoor Verma Strategic, Risk and Crisis Communication Consultant World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal sverma@who.int sunoorv@gmail.com

Ms Tsering Dolkar Gurung NPO (Communication, Media and Public Information) World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal gurungt@who.int

WHO’s COVID-19 response in Nepal is made possible through the generous support of the

Government of Azerbaijan,

UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO),

Government of Germany and USAID.

Reference Code: 21JUN01MM_21B