Province 2 government to take strong action against private health institutions that refuse treatment to patients
The government has instructed chief district officers of all eight districts to abrogate registration of private health institutions if found guilty of turning away patients.Chief Minister Mohammad Lal Babu Raut held a meeting on Tuesday which was attended by high-level officials from security agencies and administrations of all the districts of the province. Ajit Tiwari/TKP
The Province 2 government has instructed the chief district officers of all eight districts to abrogate the license of private hospitals and nursing homes that refuse treatment to patients.
Chief Minister Mohammad Lal Babu Raut held a meeting on Tuesday which was attended by high-level officials from security agencies and administrations of all the districts of the province. The meeting decided to take the step effective immediately following complaints from various quarters of private hospitals and nursing homes refusing to provide their services to patients seeking medical attention.
Based on the decision of the meeting, secretary at Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law Krishna Hari Pushkar on Wednesday sent a letter to the chief district officers of all eight districts with instructions to abrogate the license of the private hospitals found reluctant in providing treatment to the patients during this critical time.
“Take initiatives to scrape the license of private hospitals and nursing homes that fail to provide basic health services; of those returning patients without carrying out health checks, and found misbehaving with patients,” reads the letter.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued an order to the government to make necessary arrangements for the treatment of Covid-19 patients at private hospitals and medical facilities. The Apex court issued the order amid reports of private hospitals and medical facilities refusing to treat patients showing Covid-19-like symptoms. A single bench of justice Manoj Kumar Sharma, hearing the writ petition filed by advocates Pushpa Raj Poudel and Saroj Krishna Ghimire, issued the order stating that private medical institutions must act responsibly and ensure the citizens’ right to healthcare and direct their efforts at treating Covid-19 patients.
During Tuesday's meeting, Raut urged the chief district officers to identify the private health institutions that refuse treatment to patients and submit the name list to the provincial government.
“We will take strong action against any institutions that receive facilities from the government but do not work when the country is in crisis. You (CDO) identify those institutions and recommend the government for action,” said Raut while addressing the meeting.
Meanwhile, the provincial government decided to take strong measures to implement the lockdown effectively. DIG Pradhumna Karki at the provincial police office said police chiefs of all the districts were instructed to take action against those defying the lockdown order. “We have stopped the inter-provincial movement from today (Wednesday) to control the spread of the Covid-19,” he said.
Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus outbreak
UPDATED as of September 22, 2020
What is Covid-19? Covid-19, short for coronavirus disease, is an illness caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Common symptoms of the disease include fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
How contagious is Covid-19? Covid-19 can spread easily from person to person, especially in enclosed spaces. The virus can travel through the air in respiratory droplets produced when a sick person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. As the virus can also survive on plastic and steel surfaces for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours, any contact with such surfaces can also spread the virus. Symptoms take between two to 14 days to appear, during which time the carrier is believed to be contagious.
Where did the virus come from? The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December. The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that is responsible for everything from the common cold to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). After an initial outbreak in Wuhan that spread across Hubei province, eventually infecting over 80,000 and killing more than 3,000, new infection rates in mainland China have dropped. However, the disease has since spread across the world at an alarming rate.
What is the current status of Covid-19?
The World Health Organisation has called the ongoing outbreak a “pandemic” and urged countries across the world to take precautionary measures. Covid-19 has spread to 213 countries and territoriesaround the world and infected more than 31,405,983 people with 967,505 deaths and 22,990,260 recoveries. In South Asia, India has reported the highest number of infections at 5,557,573 with 88,943 deaths. While Pakistan has reported 306,304 confirmed cases with 6,420 deaths. Nepal has so far reported 65,276 cases with 427 deaths.
How dangerous is the disease?
The mortality rate for Covid-19 is estimated to be 3.6 percent, but new studies have put the rate slightly higher at 5.7 percent. Although Covid-19 is not too dangerous to young healthy people, older individuals and those with immune-compromised systems are at greater risk of death. People with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, or those who’ve recently undergone serious medical procedures, are also at risk.
How do I keep myself safe? The WHO advises that the most important thing you can do is wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol content. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands. Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces like your computers and phones. Avoid large crowds of people. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist for longer than a few days.
Is it time to panic?
No. The government has imposed a lockdown to limit the spread of the virus. There is no need to begin stockpiling food, cooking gas or hand sanitizers. However, it is always prudent to take sensible precautions like the ones identified above.
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